Ira von Furstenberg, the ‘Princess of Marbella’ who is considered one of the earliest ‘It’ girls, has died.
Italian media reports the socialite, who was also known as Princess Virginia von Fürstenberg, passed away on Sunday at the age of 83 in Rome.
She was the daughter of Prince Tassilo zu Furstenberg and his first wife Cara Agnelli and leaves behind a son from her first marriage, Hubertus Rudolph. Her eldest son Christoph Victorio Egon Humberto died in 2006 of organ failure while imprisoned in Bangkok over visa issues.
During her incredibly colourful life, the socialite worked as a model and is thought to have been one of the first ever ‘It’ girls, starred in several films and even became a published author.
Ira von Furstenberg was born in Rome on 17 April 1940 and was raised in Venice at the Villa Furstenberg.
Ira von Furstenberg has died aged 83 after a colourful life in which she married aged 15 and befriended some very famous people
When she was still a student, she was sent to boarding school in London as scandal engulfed her family when her mother ran off with an Italian count.
During her time at Cygnet House, she was taught about etiquette and how to become a high society swan.
At 15 years old, she attracted the eyes of the world when she married Prince Alfonso of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, who was 30 at the time.
Life magazine described their now-controversial union as the ‘Wedding of the Year’ while Paris Match put her on its cover as the teenager was catapulted into the limelight.
The actress and socialite (pictured in 1966) attracted the eyes of the world when she married at the age of 15 to a man 15 years her senior
During her career she starred in several films (pictured in No desearás ak vecino del quinto in 1970)
After capturing people’s attention, she was photographed by Cecil Beaton on her 15th birthday, while Salvador Dalí made no secret of the fact he was desperate to paint her.
In 2019, she revealed his repeated requests to paint her nude never tempted her.
‘I was a little girl who just got married and was still in the honeymoon stage,’ she said.
After having two sons, Ira divorced her husband after five years of marriage. She went on to marry Brazilian businessman Francisco Pignatari from 1961 until 1964.
Following the breakdown of her second marriage, she did not remarry but continued to circulate in high society groups and became incredibly well-connected.
Among her close friends were Princess Margaret and Prince Rainier of Monaco – with rumours flying in the 1980s that she was in a relationship with the Monegasque premier.
When she was just 15 years old the socialite married Prince Alfonso Von Hohenlohe-Langenburg
She became a muse of Salvador Dalí who asked to paint her nude several times – offers which she declined
It was widely reported that, in response to the rumours, Princess Margaret reportedly made the cruel quip: ‘Such a big girl for such a small country.’
As she rose to stardom in her modelling and acting career she became friends with some influential figures in the fashion industry, including a close relationship with Karl Lagerfeld.
Speaking to Tatler in 2019, she said: ‘Life with Karl went very quickly.’
She added she never explicitly helped him with designs when he was creative director of Chanel, but that she ‘gave him ideas’.
The socialite and actress described her friend was ‘witty, very outspoken and direct’ and added: ‘I miss him a lot and for a while we had a wonderful time.’
During her acting career, she starred in 1968 comedy Matchless alongside Patrick O’Neal, The Fifth Cord in 1971 and The Barons in 1975.
She also became a muse in the world of modelling and even graced the cover of Vogue during her career.
Later in life the socialite worked with cosmetics company Germain Monteil before moving on to the perfume division at Valentino.
Her brother Prince Egon was the first husband of fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg.
Although she had a successful fashion career, the socialite has previously hinted that her true passion was acting.
Speaking to the Financial Times just last year, she said ‘in another life’ she would have continued to pursue acting.
She revealed that, when her first acting gig Matchless was released, her father ‘reacted very badly’ because she was ‘undressed on screen’.
She said: ‘I had to explain to him that my acting did not have the same power to make people flock to the cinema as my body.’
When asked for the best piece of advice she has ever received, she responded it was to ‘learn how to say no’.
However she added: ‘It is a lesson I never mastered.’