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Princess Irene of Greece and Denmark

Cape Town, 11 May 1942 – Madrid, 15 Jan 2026

8 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

  • Born11 May 1942, Cape Townnot verified1 source
  • Died15 Jan 2026, Madridnot verified1 source
  • FatherPaul of Greecenot verified1 source
  • MotherFrederica of Hanovernot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 11 May 1942

    Born in Cape Town

  2. 15 Jan 2026

    Dies in Madrid, aged 83

Family

See the tree

Parents

During her lifetime

She lived through 9 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Cape Town.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1940s · Princess is born in Cape Town

In the news1948

Apartheid Era Begins in 1948

The National Party won the 1948 election on an apartheid platform, formalizing and intensifying systematic racial segregation.

What people wore

San Fermín Festival Attire

The traditional San Fermín festival outfit of white clothes and red sash became popular in the 1930s. The red sash measures 2.5 meters long and 12 centimeters wide.

Getting around

Regional train speeds in Malaga

Until the tracks were dismantled in 1965, the steam and later diesel train between Malaga and Coin covered 38 kilometers in approximately one hour and 45 minutes.

The Second World War. The deadliest war in history, from 1939 to 1945: some 70 million people died. Brazil sent 25,000 soldiers to fight in Italy.Around the world · 1939–1945

The Second World War. The deadliest war in history, from 1939 to 1945: some 70 million people died. Brazil sent 25,000 soldiers to fight in Italy.

Chief Photographer's Mate (CPHoM) Robert F. Sargent · public domain

In the news1946

1946 Mineworkers' Strike occurs

The 1946 Mineworkers' Strike served as a major turning point in the emergence of mass political mobilization among black workers.

Music

Christmas music and nativity traditions

Christmas celebrations featured midnight masses where people sang villancicos, and homes were decorated with elaborate nativity scenes called nacimientos instead of Christmas trees. Children received their gifts on January 6th, the feast of the Epiphany, brought by the Three Kings.

Daily life

Child labor and limited schooling access

Poorer girls often worked as domestic servants for as little as one peseta a month plus food, while others stayed home to embroider or care for younger siblings instead of attending school. Schooling was frequently interrupted by teacher changes or seasonal farm work, with some children walking over two hours to attend.