Maharani Jindan Kaur, his mother and one of the namesakes for Sophia, was a formidable woman. In England, Queen Victoria treated him kindly and gave him a pension, persuading him to convert to Christianity. Duleep had been forced to abdicate his kingdom, hand over the Koh-i-Noor, and was exiled to England all before he turned 16. She was the third daughter of the last Maharaja of the Sikh Empire, Duleep Singh, and his wife, Bamba Muller. Princess Sophia Jindan Alexandrovna Duleep Singh was born on 8 August 1876. The Fall Of The Sikh Empire and a Bitter Father Most intriguingly of all Sophia fought for British women – for their democracy and the right to vote – even though Britain had taken everything from her family. An obedient goddaughter to Queen Victoria, she revelled in giving the establishment a good kick-in. A royal pauper, who appeared on every aristocratic guest list, yet lived on state handouts. She was the vacuous socialite who developed an all-consuming social conscience. Princess Sophia Duleep Singh’s life is extraordinary and full of what seem like contradictions.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |