369. The First British Indians: The Suffragette Princess (Ep 1)
Summary
Hosts Anita Anand and William Dalrymple launch a series on the daughters of Maharaja Duleep Singh, focusing on Sophia Duleep Singh. They detail her traumatic childhood, her transformation from a royal favorite to an anti-colonial activist after witnessing racism in India, and her militant suffragette work. The episode culminates in her role during the 1910 Black Friday protests, where she confronted police violence.
Topics discussed
Intro, sponsors, and episode overview
Introduction to Sophia Duleep Singh and the series
Maharaja Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Empire
Duleep Singh's exile and marriage to Bamba Müller
Life in England, Queen Victoria, and Duleep's decline
The Aden incident and family tragedies
Sophia's upbringing and Edwardian social life
Ad break: Wise and Peyronie's disease
The Delhi Durbar and Sophia's political awakening
Sophia joins the Suffragettes and Black Friday
Tax resistance, WWI service, and later life
Sophia's legacy and preview of next episodes
Outro and final sponsor messages
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