Very sad royal news today, including for me personally. The first royal I ever had the honour to meet, HRH Princess Irene of Greece and Denmark (1942-2026), has died in Madrid at the age of 83. I am deeply saddened to learn of this loss.
HM Queen Sofía of Spain, 87, is now the only surviving child of King Paul and Queen Frederica of Greece.
Meeting and performing (Debussy Sonata with pianist Emile Naoumoff) for Princess Irene at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music on 13 May 1999 (two days after her 57th birthday) remains one of the highlights of my career. I had always hoped I might see HRH again one day, but it was not to be. I was so thrilled when she happily signed my copy of her mother Queen Frederica's (1917-1981) autobiography.
Born in Cape Town, South Africa (where the Greek Royal Family were for a time in exile during World War II) on 11 May 1942, with Premier Jan Smuts (1870-1950) as her godfather, Princess Irene after the war grew up in Greece during the reigns of her uncle George II (1890-1947), her father Paul I (1901-1964), and her brother Constantine II (1940-2023). A talented pianist, she studied with Gina Bachauer (1913-1976) and Nadia Boulanger (1887-1979), which is how she knew Emile who as a child prodigy was the legendary French pedagogue's last and youngest student. She once joined Bachauer (who knew that the novelty of a princess performing with her would gain the event much needed attention) in performing with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, then in financial difficulties which that concert helped alleviate. The Princess never married. It was known that her condition had been deteriorating for some time.
May she rest in peace.
