Irene Romualdez Marcos-Araneta (born Maria Irene Celestina Romualdez Marcos) is the third child of the late Ferdinand Marcos and former First Lady Imelda Marcos.

Unlike her siblings, she is not a politician, consequently regarded by the public as “the quiet one”.

She is known as a socialite, a “long-time patroness of the arts,” holding positions in foundations, including chair member of the Young Musicians Development Organization and patron of university art theater Dulaang UP.

When asked about her interest in politics, she has stated that “some people are not made for this [politics]” and identified as a “musician by training, but generally a mother.”

Irene is married to the chairman and CEO of Araneta Properties Inc., Gregorio “Greggy” Maria Araneta III. They have two sons, Alfonso Araneta and Luis Araneta.

Born on September 16, 1960, Irene was 5 years old when her father was elected president. While she initially grew up in Malacañang Palace, she pursued her education in England alongside her older siblings.

During her father’s presidency, Irene garnered attention for her 1983 wedding to Araneta. The wedding, held in her father’s hometown of Sarrat town, Ilocos Norte, was considered the “wedding of the century”, meant to rival the 1981 wedding between former Princess Diana and Prince Charles.

While Irene has chosen to remain out of the spotlight, she has continued to support her siblings’ political campaigns, even representing her brother Ferdinand Jr. in a Nacionalista Party rally in Mandaluyong City during his vice-presidential campaign in 2016.

During Marcos Jr.’s presidential election, Irene attended several rallies, taking photos with several UniTeam supporters.

Editor's note: AMELIE ORTIZ DE LEON is an intern at news.abs-cbn.com. She is an incoming sophomore at Barnard College of Columbia University, intending to double-major in political science and film studies.

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