| Princess Irulan | |
|---|---|
| Dune character | |
.jpg) Virginia Madsen in Dune (1984) | |
| First appearance | Dune (1965) |
| Created by | Frank Herbert |
| Portrayed by | |
| In-universe information | |
| Affiliation | Bene Gesserit House Atreides |
| Family | House Corrino |
| Spouse | Paul Atreides |
| Children |
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| Relatives |
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Princess Irulan /ˈɪrəlɑːn/[1] is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. She first appears in Dune (1965), and is later featured in Dune Messiah (1969) and Children of Dune (1976). The character's birth and early childhood are touched upon in the Prelude to Dune prequel trilogy (1999–2001) by Herbert's son Brian, and Kevin J. Anderson, and she is a principal character in the Herbert/Anderson series Heroes of Dune (2008–2009).
The character of Irulan serves as a de facto narrator in Dune, with excerpts of her later writings used as epigraphs before each chapter of the novel. Within the storyline, Irulan is established as the eldest daughter of the 81st Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV and Anirul, a Bene Gesserit of Hidden Rank, and has four younger sisters and no brothers. In Dune, the character appears in person only near the end of the novel, but continues as a regular character in the sequels Dune Messiah and Children of Dune. Epigraphs attributed to Irulan also appear—to a much lesser extent—in these subsequent novels, and others in the extended series.
Irulan is portrayed by Virginia Madsen in the 1984 film Dune, and by Julie Cox in the 2000 TV miniseries Frank Herbert's Dune and its 2003 sequel, Frank Herbert's Children of Dune. The character is played by Florence Pugh in the 2024 film Dune: Part Two.
- ^ "Audio excerpts from a reading of Dune by Frank Herbert". Usul.net. Archived from the original on November 11, 2010. Retrieved October 6, 2010.