An Unusual Memory of Soraya Abroad: The Police Arrested Me, and When I Said I Was The Former Queen of Iran, The Police Replied, "Don't Talk Nonsense...

The once queen who could go wherever she pleased, now desperately asked others to clear the way for her... Now, I was completely alone and was genuinely terrified even at the thought of crossing a street. I was thinking about how to step aside so the cars wouldn't run over me. Having lived under restrictions for many years and being unfamiliar with the customs of the people, I really didn’t know how to interact with others in my newfound freedom.

Driving was even worse. In Tehran, wherever I went, there were special escorts, and the traffic was always halted for my movement. I didn’t have to worry about the red and green lights... Now, I saw myself surrounded by signs that prevented me from entering certain streets and others that warned me not to enter other roads.

One morning, I went to the city in an Opel with my secretary. As I was trying to park the car, a policeman arrived, and with irritation, yelled, "Aren’t you paying attention to the signs? You are not allowed to stop here." My secretary explained, "This lady is a foreigner and the former Queen of Iran." The policeman harshly replied, "Don’t talk nonsense, give me your license." But when he realized my secretary was telling the truth, he suddenly let it go, said nothing, and left...

I honestly didn’t know how to park the car... It felt like I had spent seven years in the court of Tehran wrapped in cotton wool. I wasn’t allowed to do anything on my own. For instance, I couldn’t even pour a cup of tea for a guest because it would be beneath my dignity. There was always a lady-in-waiting to do such things.