Sophia born 150 years ago
Princess Sophia Duleep Singh was born on 8 August 1876, making 2026 the 150th anniversary of her birth.
Snapshot · Empire: World History
369. The First British Indians: The Suffragette Princess (Ep 1)
Explore episode
Jun 17, 2026
Where this was said
Anita Anand's Book and the Rediscovery of Sophia
At 6:24 · chapter starts 5:35
William Dalrymple praises Anita Anand's biography of Sophia Duleep Singh, calling it a story she 'discovered' and 'made famous', rescuing a woman totally forgotten by history. Anand reflects with evident pride on the 2015 publication, recalling how strange and far-fetched the concept of an 'Indian suffragette' seemed to people at the time — some asking whether she had written a novel. She describes how radically the cultural landscape has shifted since: Sophia now has a Royal Mail postage stamp, a blue plaque (which Anand accidentally pulled down on her own head at the unveiling), and a current exhibition at Kensington Palace Gardens dedicated to her and her sisters. This section establishes Anand's personal investment in the story and contextualises why a deep podcast dive is warranted.
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