The princess of the elite was killed by an accidental fall: she played Princess Yusupova in the film about Rasputin

One of the most famous socialites in Europe, Ira von Furstenberg, has died. Farewell to her took place on February 23, 2024 in Rome, then her body will be taken to the family tomb near Salzburg. The tragic death did not occur after a long illness, her son revealed the secret – she was killed by a fall, after which she broke her ribs, which hit her lung. Cardiac arrest occurred on February 18, 2024.

According to British writer Nick Foulkes, Ira von Furstenberg “was as famous in her time and in her habits as someone like a Kardashian is today.” A princess by birth and a model, actress and designer by choice, von Furstenberg died in Rome at the age of 83.

Foulkes wrote the 2019 book Ira: The Life and Times of a Princess about her childhood in Venice, her fairytale wedding to Spanish aristocrat Prince Alfonso Hohenlohe at age 15, her glamorous travels and fashion magazine shoots, and her chic Place Vendôme apartment after divorce.

“The awareness of it in a pre-Internet world was pretty amazing. The volume of newspaper clippings that I looked through was absolutely incredible,” the book’s author tells Women’s Wear Daily.

Let’s explain: Ira von Furstenberg was the daughter of Clara Agnelli, who was the sister of Fiat heir Gianni Agnelli. Father Prince Tassilo von Furstenberg was the son of a Hungarian countess and prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and her maternal grandmother was Princess Virginia of San Faustino.

Her marriage to the famous playboy Hohenlohe ended in a major scandal, as she was also accused of adultery. In the biography, Foulkes spoke about the actress’s struggles with motherhood and marriage, as well as the tragedy in 2006 when she lost her son Christophe in a Bangkok prison at the age of 50, accused of forging a visa to enter the country to save time. Her other son, Hubertus, became an Olympic champion in cross-country skiing in Mexico.

“She has a rebellious streak and was a very independent woman at a time when the world was still very masculine. She made a lot of decisions that were considered brave in those days,” Foulkes notes. For example, Ira von Furstenberg defied convention as a young model for Emilio Pucci.

“Ira was a great friend of the family and knew my father since she was 14 years old,” admits Emilio’s daughter, heiress of the Emilio Pucci house, Laudomia Pucci.

Von Furstenberg was a fashionista who supported Karl Lagerfeld in the early stages of his career. She became Valentino’s PR agent and, according to rumors, the second wife of Prince Rainier of Monaco after the death of Grace Kelly.

“I’ve known Ira all my life, we even worked together on my first perfume,” said Valentino Garavani. “Beautiful and always smiling, Ira had an unwavering passion for everything she took on. Whether it was her work, hobbies or personal pursuits, she approached every endeavor with genuine enthusiasm and dedication.”

The late princess continued her acting career under the auspices of famed producer Dino De Laurentiis, appearing in some 30 films in the late 1960s and 70s. In 1967, she played Princess Irina Yusupova in the film “I Killed Rasputin.” It is noteworthy that Felix Yusupov himself appeared in the film and gave her an interview at the beginning.

After her career ended, she became a patron of the Children of Africa Foundation.

“My whole life is filled with moments associated with Ira,” recalls French event planner Françoise Dumas, whose chance meeting at a photo shoot led to a lifelong friendship with the late aristocrat.

Having traveled widely with von Furstenberg, Dumas recalls “a citizen of the world who spoke six languages, had an eternal zest for life, and was at ease everywhere thanks to her endless desire to discover new countries and new people.” According to Dumas, it is impossible to portray von Furstenberg without mentioning her great creativity, which most recently expressed itself in her line of precious objects.

For many, von Furstenberg’s departure is “the turning of the page of an era,” according to journalist Jacques Babando.