EPSILON MAGAZINE. NOVEMBER ISSUE 2005. P 22
WHAT THEY GOSSIPED ABOUT: THE REAL AND THE FAKE BY VALERIE CONSTAND
EMPRESS
SORAYA SAGA: A £50-million legacy left by the Shah of Iran's second wife
is being passed on to the German government, after claimants to the fortune
were found to be impostors. Soraya Esfandiary Bakhtiary left her vast legacy,
which had been bestowed on her by the Shah, to her brother Prince Bijan, but
he himself passed away just a week after his sibling. Since he died intestate
and left no direct descendant, the local government of Cologne, where he
lived, appealed for relatives to come forward and claim the estate. Some 50
people have since had their petitions rejected and the authorities are now set
to hand the fortune over to the state government. The legacy includes money
raised, in accordance with Soraya's will, on several of her personal
possessions. Items including a Rolls Royce Silver Spur, a fabulous Bulgari
sapphire necklace worth well over a million pounds, and the exquisite platinum
and diamond engagement ring given to her by the Shah, were sold off at auction
after Prince Bijan's death. "The case of the former Empress Soraya is treated
just like any other, but of course the amount of money is much higher than the
amount we usually get," said a spokesman for the North Rhine Westphalia
Finance Office. "We will be able to put it to good use, although it will not
be possible to say exactly what we will use it for. It will just go into the
general pool, for the benefit of everyone." This final chapter to the Soraya
story is poignantly fitting for the woman who came to be known as "the sad
Empress". She married Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi in 1951 but he divorced her
just a few years later for failing to produce an heir. The princess never
married again and her second significant relationship ended in tragedy when
her partner, Italian filmmaker Franco Indovina, died in a plane crash in 1972.
Soraya herself died at her flat in Paris in 2001.
AnythingoesNews.
Photos
from L to R: Looting of the Iraqi treasures, the late Princess Di.
THE LOOTED ART OF IRAQ AND THE INSENSIBILITY OF THE WHITE HOUSE: Looted art from the museums of Baghdad and the Archaeological Museum returned to Iraq. Waves of complaints from Iraqis and world communities were geared toward the American military and the Bush's administration. The White House was busy dealing with terrorism in and outside Iraq. However, terrorism against Art and stealing Iraqi national treasurers were not of a concern to Bush and his aides. Pity, Washington ignores the facts that, no country without its arts can survive. This administration is and will remain indifferent toward art. Hundreds of paintings, tablets and artifacts were stolen before the eyes of the American troops in Baghdad who stood like ducks watching and doing absolutely nothing. When the looting came to an end, those who orchestrated the theft began to ship the stolen arts to celebrities, clients and art collectors who were waiting impatiently in the United States, Europe and Latin America. It was reported that an "historical artifact" was found on the desk of Secretary Rumsfeld in Washington, D.C. When cornered, Rumsfeld rushed to explain "Oh no, I just borrowed. It shall be returned. Yah right!
Photos below from L to R: Gwyneth Paltrow, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts.
THE 100 TRES CHIC AND TRES
ELEGANT WOMEN OF THE WORLD: Harpers & Queen compiled a list of famous
women considered to be classy and chic. And this notorious list was aimed at
attracting the socialites attention to what "class" and "style" are all
about. Funny, some of the artists who are known to be the worst dressed
stars in Hollywood were squeezed in. This is how it goes. You "crutch" my
back, I "crutch" yours. However, a great number of refined ladies, royalties
and women of the high society. of London, New York, Paris and Washington,
D.C. made the list. The list included the 100 most elegant and distinguished
ladies who enjoy fame and world notoriety. What are the criteria and
prerequisites to be selected? Who knows and who cares! All what we know is
that the 100 women are those known to be "tres chic". And what "tres chic"
means by American and British standards? That is the question. And as usual,
all socialites and stars lists are"100". Some of Hollywood stars who made
the list were Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts, Halle Berry, Elizabeth Taylor
and Catherine Zeta-Jones. A special recognition, in sort of "in memoriam
award" was given to famous stars. Yet, some of them are still alive and
kicking. To name a few: Sophia Loren, Vivien Leigh, Audrey Hepburn, Jackie
Onassis, Christine Keeler and Ali McGraw. Lost squeeze-in included Princess
Di, Sophie Dahl, Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna.
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