Her maternal grandparents were Friedrich III, German Emperor, and his Empress consort Victoria.

On 1 July 1939, Irene married Prince Aimone, 4th Duke of Aosta (9 March 1900 – 29 January 1948).

[2] Prince Aimone became the 4th Duke of Aosta on 3 March 1942, following the death of his elder brother, Amedeo.

After the Allied armistice with the Kingdom of Italy, Irene was interned by the Germans at the Hotel Ifen in Hirschegg, Austria, July 1944, along with her infant son, her sister-in-law and two nieces.

In June 1948, the family was allowed to return to Italy, and Irene spent the rest of her life living outside of Florence where she became a member of the Dominican Third Order and continued her social work.