Italian actress and aristocrat Princess Virginia von Fürstenberg, better known by her professional name Ira von Fürstenberg passed away on Monday at the age of 83. The European beauty had a varied career and colourful personal life that even fortuitously led to a marriage to a Spanish-German prince. Often referred to as an early ‘It girl’, she socialised with Hollywood legends, fashion icons and modelled for some of the most well-known brands.
Born Virginia Carolina Theresa Pancrazia Galdina Prinzessin zu Fürstenberg in 1940, she was a member of the German noble family the House of Fürstenberg. She embarked on an early modelling career and was captured by notable photographers including Sir Cecil Beaton and modelled designs by Emilio Pucci.
In 1955, she married Prince Alfonso of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. His family was descended from the princes of Württemberg in Germany who held their titles until Napoleon's invasion in the 19th century. At the time, she was just 15 years old, whereas her husband was 31, 16 years her senior. During their honeymoon in New York, she was asked to pose nude by Salvador Dalí – a proposal which her husband swiftly rejected – and danced with Frank Sinatra. Together, the couple had two children Prince Christoph and Prince Hubertus of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. The couple settled and lived in Mexico City before announcing their divorce in 1960. The following year, she married Brazilian industrialist Francisco Pignatari. Like her first marriage, it was short-lived and the couple split in 1964.
After her two marriages – which all happened before she was 25 – she took a different route, opting to become an actress. She became a fixture of Italian cinema during the 1960s and 1970s, during the country’s culture boom. She worked with well-known auteurs of Italian cinema such as Mario Bava as well as Hollywood stars such as Peter Lawford (a one-time brother-in-law to JFK). She allegedly turned down the titular role in Barbarella, the camp science fiction cult classic that helped turn Jane Fonda into a star. Meanwhile, she continued to model, when she was photographed for Vogue by the likes of Helmut Newton. In the late 1970s, she also served as the President of Valentino’s fragrance business. She hung up her film credentials in 1982.
After leaving the silver screen, she moved to London where she opened up an antiques shop. Rumours even swirled at one point suggesting that she was engaged to Prince Rainier of Monaco, shortly after the death of Princess Grace in 1982. While she admitted to being close friends, she denied that they were ever romantically involved.
During her final years, she spent much of her time creating scuptures and trinkets. Many of her creations were posted on her Instagram account, and she even had exhibitions posted.
Her eldest son Prince Christoph died in 2006 over complications relating to type 1 diabetes. She is survived by her youngest son Prince Hubertus, an alpine skier who has represented Mexico in six different Olympic Games.
