PAGEANT OF PRINCES

Evening Star, Issue 20193, 5 June 1929, Page 11

PAGEANT OF PRINCES

INDIAN RULERS IN LONDON - PICTURESQUE POTENTATES. Picturesque Indian princes, some with then wive and children, have lately been adding to the romance and glamour of London. The numbers arriving and the magnificence of their regalia when the last mail left England was expected to eclipse all previous years for two reasons. Firstly, the well-known Indian rulers who visit England regularly were to be augmented by many who came for the first time last year in iho special deputation of Indian princes. Secondly, they all wished to show their loyalty to the King-Emperor and. convoy their wishes for his safe recovery by means of a personal visit. Many of the princes are making London their headquarters for the season,and one at least—the Gackwar of Baroda—is hiring a Mayfair house. Ha ranks high amcnr the world’s richest men, and although he wears few ornaments his State jewellery is worthy of Aladdin’s cave and valued at several millions of pounds. Other potentates arranged to stay at the London hotels, where they hire not mere suite-’ ot rooms, but.whole floors. The hotels have made special strong rooms to accommodate the heavy iron boxes containing the choice jewels' which the princes take with them. One visitot was expected to have many thousands of pounds’ worth of jewels conveyed in portable safes disguised as red morocco attache cases,Modern diamonds in modern settings, ruby aigrettes, collars of pearls—each bead the envy of London jewellers—were fo he brought to him to London, as well as gems which for years had never-seen the light of day “ Not all the visitors travel with a large retinue. Several Indian princes have found that one English valet can do the work of thirty Indian servants, each of whom is only assigned , one duty,” said an aide-de-camp. “By cutting down their staff, too, they avoid the difficulties of feeding and lodging which arise through the, Indian caste system ” Among the Maharajahs who were expected in London are the Maharajah of Alwar, the Maharajah of Burclwan, and the Maharajah of Patiala,- who is chancelloi oi the Chamber of PriV-es. The ex-Maliarajah of Indore, -who married Miss Nancy Miller, the American gold miner’s daughter, was also in the list Others expected were the Maharajah of Rnjpipla—who hates unnecessary ceremony and goes to England for the weather—and the Maharajah of Keurthala. •