Irina Aleksandrovna Ovtchinnikova

Princess Irina of Greece and Denmark (née Irina Aleksandrovna Ovchinnikova (Russian: Ирина Александровна Овчинникова); 4 October 1904 – 13 March 1990), formerly Irène, marquise de Monléon, was a white émigré who married the anthropologist Prince Peter of Greece and Denmark and assisted him in his research.

First and second marriage

Ovchinnikova was born in Saint Petersburg to Alexander Pavlovich Ovchinnikov, member of the rich Russian merchant family and his wife, Lydia Ivanovna Jouriary. Her paternal grandfather, Pavel Akimovich Ovchinnikov, was the founder and owner of a factory which supplied the Imperial Court with golden items, was an honorary citizen of Moscow and a Speaker of the Moscow City Duma.

On 26 November 1919, she married Jehan de Monléon, marquis de Monléon (uncle of Rose de Monléon, wife of Prince Stanisław Albrecht Radziwiłł), in Nice, France. She was only 15-years-old. Their marriage ended in divorce on 17 July 1930.

She took Lewis (Slodon) Sloden, a British art dealer, as her second husband in London on 9 November 1932.

She met the 27-year-old Prince Peter in the summer of 1935 and the two soon started a romantic relationship. He introduced her to his mother, Princess Marie, but the royal family strongly disapproved of Peter's relationship with "the Russian" (as they dubbed her) and were wary of her influence over the Prince. After King George II's restoration to the Greek throne in the autumn of 1935, Peter left for Athens. Ovtchinnikova threatened with suicide, leading King George to compare her with Anna Karenina.

Royal marriage

Ovtchinnikova's influence over Peter steadily increased. She also proved willing to try to appease his family, especially Princess George. Ovtchinnikova also occupied herself with the welfare of children and founded several orphanages for Indian and Tibetan children in Bengal.

The expedition ended in 1952, and the pair went to Copenhagen, where Peter presented his findings. The committee wanted him to return and continue his research, which he did within a few weeks. He and his wife were again prohibited from entering Tibet, but this time they also faced the hostility of the Indian government. In 1956, Ovtchinnikova's mother-in-law accepted her invitation to visit them in India; their relationship was improving. In May 1956, the pair received an eviction notice from the Indian government, demanded by China. Ovtchinnikova was then suffering from tuberculosis, and Peter managed to obtain permission for them to stay six more months. They departed in February 1957.

Separation and widowhood

Upon their return to Europe, Prince Peter and Ovtchinnikova settled in the United Kingdom. After the Greek monarchy was abolished in 1973, Prince Peter decided to liquidate his possessions in Greece, most notably his residence in Glyfada. From then on, the pair spent their time in London, Paris and Copenhagen. As the years passed by, their relationship deteriorated. They eventually decided to separate, but not officially to divorce. Ovtchinnikova moved to Hong Kong, where she lived in a vast apartment filled with cats and monkeys, while Peter took up a relationship with a young Englishwoman who lived with him in Copenhagen. Ovtchinnikova was widowed on 15 October 1980. Her in-laws ostracized her at Peter's memorial mass, held at St Sophia's Cathedral, London, on 22 October; no member of the royal family expressed condolence to her. She inherited his enormous wealth, which he in turn had inherited from his mother. She sold her mother-in-law's jewelry in February and died on 13 March 1990. She was buried next to her husband in the grounds of their Danish palace, Lille Bernstorff. On her tomb, "the Russian" is described as "Princess Peter of Greece".