Unveiling the Legacy: The Last Princesses of Punjab

Peter Bance's Maharaja Duleep Singh collection, featuring Princess Sophia Duleep Singh's impact on women's voting rights as a suffragette, will be part of a new exhibition at Kensington Palace. Bance also releases a book focusing on the Duleep Singh family's history. The exhibition will expand to Canada after its UK run.

British Indian historian Peter Bance has taken a significant step by lending his extensive Maharaja Duleep Singh collection for an upcoming royal exhibition in London. Set to debut later this month at Kensington Palace, 'The Last Princesses of Punjab' will spotlight Princess Sophia Duleep Singh, a pioneering suffragette known for her advocacy for women's voting rights.

The exhibition, scheduled to open on March 25, marks Sophia's 150th birth anniversary. It will also highlight the influences of her sisters, her German mother Bamba Muller, grandmother Maharani Jind Kaur, and godmother Queen Victoria. Bance's book, 'The Last Royals of Lahore: The Duleep Singhs,' coincides with the exhibition's launch, delving into the lives of the last Sikh Maharaja's family.

Peter Bance has meticulously gathered archival materials and firsthand accounts to offer new insights into figures like Catherine, a savior of Jewish refugees, and Prince Victor's ties with the Ghadar Party. After its UK debut, the exhibition is expected to travel to Canada, adding an international dimension to its spotlight on this remarkable family.

(With inputs from agencies.)