Michele Zaccardi February 24, 2024
It was a farewell for a few close friends Ira von Fustenberg. After all, the chosen location is already the Church of the Artists on the Piazza del Popolo in Rome, did not allow for a large turnout. At the funeral of Virginia Carolina Theresa Pancrazia Galdina zu Fürstenberg, known worldwide as Ira von Fürstenberg, who died on February 18th at the age of 83, only her family and closest friends were present. And (almost) no one from the world of cinema, in which Gianni Agnelli's niece was also a protagonist.
Of course, his son, the skier and sports manager Hubertus von Hohenlohe, couldn't be missing John Elkann, accompanied by his wife Lavinia Borromeo. While Lapo Elkann He limited himself to sending a wreath of flowers signed by his wife Joana Lemos. Among others present, Maria Sole with her children Virginia, Argenta, Cintia, Bernardino and Eduardo. Then Ernesto Fürstenberg Fassio, with Alessandra and her children Camilla and Sebastian. Notable are Nina and Giancarlo Bosetti, who remembered Ira for “his carefree style after a turbulent and spectacular life.” At the end of the ceremony, the participants in the mourning ritual went to lunch at the “Al Bolognese” restaurant, not far from the church where the funeral took place.
But who was Ira? She was born in Rome in 1940 to Clara Agnelli (Gianni's sister) and her first husband, the German Prince Tassilo von Fürstenberg.
He came from a noble family, his paternal grandmother belonged to one of the richest families in Hungary, while his grandfather was ambassador to Emperor Franz Joseph. In her first marriage, Ira married Alfonso di Hohenlohe-Langenburg: she was 15 years old, he was 28. In her second marriage, to Francesco Baby Pignatari, she was 21 years old and he was 43, in 1961.
Her career in the world of jet setting began at the age of 13 when she modeled for designer Pucci. In addition to the dozens of films in which she appeared, what is most remembered is her role as presenter at the Sanremo Festival with Enrico Maria Salerno in 1970. But her life was not easy. His brother Egon died prematurely, as did his son Cristoph, who was found dead in a Bangkok prison cell in 2006. But it was also an eventful life. Ira has lived in Brazil, Paris, Geneva, London and Rome. She has been credited with many relationships over the years, but the one that brought her back to the center of gossip columns in 1985 was the alleged one with Ranieri of Monaco. Probably because she always emphasized that theirs was not a romantic relationship, but rather a solid and close friendship.