Princess Iris of Brasland

Princess Iris of Brasland (1911-2000) was the daughter of Prince Alexander of Brasland.

In 1933 he married Ludwig, Duke von Kerlich. He was the head of one of Brasland's main noble families. Ludwig died in a tragic air crash in 1938.

After her husband's death, and as a guardian to her only son (who was a child), Iris took over the administration of the Kerlich estates. This was quite controversial at the time, as it was considered a man's job. However, she resisted the criticism and became a successful manager of the family fortune, eventually creating a holding of companies known as the Kerlich Group, of which she became CEO. In 1972 she handed the position to her son, and became more active in other pursuits, such as golf (she was the president of the Women's Golf Association) and charities (she founded the St Margarita Foundation, which grants scholarships to poor students; as well as supporting several other institutions).

Princess Iris died in 2000, after a long and very active life.