SAEDNEWS: The Princess of Egypt’s Jewels, Crafted Exclusively for Her as Iran’s Queen
According to the History and Culture Service of Saed News, Fawzia Fuad, born on November 5, 1921, in Egypt, was the first wife of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. She studied in Switzerland, where she became fluent in English and French. At the age of 17, she married Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Crown Prince of Iran, and later became Iran’s first lady.
Her father was King Fuad of Egypt, and her mother was Queen Nazli Sabri. Fawzia had one brother, King Farouk I, and three sisters: Faiza, Faika, and Fathiya. The young princess, famed at the time for her stunning beauty, married the Iranian crown prince on March 16, 1939. Their lavish wedding, held at Abdeen Palace in Cairo, mirrored Fawzia’s mother’s politically strategic marriage and symbolized the alliance between Egypt and Iran.
A year before the wedding, the renowned jewelry house Van Cleef & Arpels was commissioned to create a bridal jewelry set for Fawzia. The collection included a double-strand necklace, earrings, a ring, and a tiara made of platinum and diamonds, designed in the elegant Art Deco style. The tiara alone featured 54 pear-shaped diamonds totaling 92 carats, along with 530 baguette-cut diamonds weighing 72 carats.
After Mohammad Reza Shah ascended the throne, Fawzia frequently wore this tiara at major ceremonies. The full set was showcased not only on the wedding day but also at numerous official events and celebrations afterward.
