Prince Hamid Reza Pahlavi
H.I.H. Prince Hamid Reza Pahlavi, born on July 4, 1932, was the eleventh and last-born child of Reza Shah Pahlavi and a half-brother of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran. As the youngest son of Reza Shah and Esmat Dowlatshahi, he belonged to the later generation of the Pahlavi dynasty.
Early Life and Education
Prince Hamid Reza Pahlavi was born in Tehran on July 4, 1932, the youngest son of Reza Shah and his fourth wife, Esmat Dowlatshahi, who was herself of Qajar descent. He grew up with his full siblings at the Marble Palace in Tehran.
He pursued his education in both Iran and the United States. During his school years in America, he became known for his restless and impulsive nature, at times leaving school unexpectedly to travel and visit relatives. These episodes reflected the more turbulent and unconventional aspects of his youth.
Personal Life
Prince Hamid Reza Pahlavi married three times and had four children. His first marriage was to Minou Dowlatshahi in Tehran in March 1951, from which he had one daughter. In 1959, he married Homa Khameneh, with whom he had two children. In 1974, he married Houri Khameneh, and they had one child born in 1975.
One of his sons later lived in the United Kingdom before being brought back to Iran to attend military school in Tehran.
Public Reputation and Court Life
Prince Hamid Reza Pahlavi became known for a scandalous and controversial lifestyle, which distanced him from the formal life of the court. His conduct led to the removal of his princely title and his exclusion from the royal court by the Shah.
In later years, his name was also associated with allegations of involvement in opium trafficking during the 1960s, which further contributed to the deterioration of his standing within the royal family.
Later Years and Death
Unlike many members of the Pahlavi family, Prince Hamid Reza remained in Iran after the 1979 Revolution. He reportedly changed his name to FaFar Islami and later faced arrest and imprisonment on drug-related charges.
While serving his sentence, he gave an interview in which he maintained that his punishment stemmed from his family background rather than his conduct. Prince Hamid Reza Pahlavi died of a heart attack in July 1992 while still in prison.
Family
Father:
Reza Shah Pahlavi (1878–1944)
Mother:
Esmat Dowlatshahi (1905–1995)
Siblings and Half-Siblings:
- Princess Hamdam al-Saltaneh Pahlavi (1903–1992)
- Princess Shams Pahlavi (1917–1996)
- Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi (1919–1980)
- Princess Ashraf Pahlavi (1919–2016)
- Prince Ali Reza Pahlavi (1922–1954)
- Prince Gholam Reza Pahlavi (1923–2017)
- Prince Abdul Reza Pahlavi (1924–2004)
- Prince Ahmad Reza Pahlavi (1925–1981)
- Prince Mahmoud Reza Pahlavi (1926–2001)
- Princess Fatemeh Pahlavi (1928–1987)
- Prince Hamid Reza Pahlavi (1932–1992)