Prince Albert Edward’s Royal Tour of India (1875

Prince Albert Edward's Tour of India (1875-6)

His Excellency Prince of Wales, Prince Albert Edward's Tour of India (1875-6)

On October 11, 1875, Albert Edward, the Prince of Wales and the eldest son of Queen Victoria, embarked on a four-month expedition across the Indian subcontinent. His journey began with a train and ferry ride from London to the southern Italian port of Brindisi, where he boarded the HMS Serapis, the vessel assigned to take him and his entourage to India. Over the course of his visit, the Prince explored approximately 21 towns and cities.

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This excursion was part of an educational initiative by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, aimed at broadening the horizons of the Prince of Wales. Having previously traveled to Canada, the United States, Egypt, and the Middle East, they believed that such experiences would enrich his understanding of diverse cultures, histories, and religions, while also fostering diplomatic relations between the British Crown and other nations.

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A key aspect of diplomacy in India involved the exchange of gifts. The Prince presented commemorative gold and silver medals, bracelets, rings, and lockets crafted by Garrard and Co., the royal jeweler, in addition to illustrated booklets. In return, he received an array of splendid artifacts, including rings, lockets, brooches, as well as intricately designed daggers, swords, and scabbards. Each of these items was linked to the customs of the Indian courts, showcasing exquisite artistry that was highly esteemed in England. Throughout his journey, the Prince was gifted some of the finest Indian artifacts that would later become part of the Royal Collection.

On this tour of India the Prince was joined by a few close friends and members of his staff. In 1877, William Howard Russell, a writer for The Times, produced the official tour journal, and Sydney Prior Hall, a reportage artist for The Graphic, joined the party as the Royal Artist. His paintings were used to accompany Russell’s descriptive descriptions.

Prince arrives in Bombay (Mumbai)

After spending over a month at sea, the Prince of Wales arrived in Bombay (now Mumbai) on November 8. Crowds ‘glittering with gems’ and ‘swaying to and fro’ greeted him. Russell was caught away by the unique styles of apparel and color effects in his diary. The expansive views that cascaded down banks of multicolored lights had an almost supernatural quality.

Bombay hosted the Prince’s first reception for Indian rulers. To welcome them, he adapted Indian court practices such as gifting paan (betel nut shavings, various seeds and spices, and lime paste wrapped in a betel leaf) and attar (perfume).

Travels from India to Sri Lanka

On November 25, the Prince departed Bombay for the second stage of his trip to the Indian subcontinent. The HMS Serapis landed in Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), on December 1. William Henry Gregory, Governor-General of Ceylon, and representatives of the Tamil community greeted the Prince. The Prince was entertained outside the Governor’s mansion by a Pera-hera procession, which is a Buddhist celebration. Although it is typically commemorated in July or August, a special rehearsal was held. Sydney Prior Hall’s illustration depicts the Prince reclining on the left, flanked by elephants and masked dancers.

The prince traveled from Ceylon to India’s southern coast and then took a train to view the magnificent temples of Madurai and Trichinopoly. He went to the famous rock fort, which contained two Hindu temples, and watched the fireworks show organized in honor of his visit.

While in Trichinopoly, the Prince purchased this elaborate bracelet. It is fashioned of a sheet of gold pounded into the shape of a makara head, a legendary sea creature. It was eventually given to his mother, Queen Victoria, on her 57th birthday. Her Majesty Queen Victoria got two magnificent Indian bangles from Trichinopoli and Jeypore from her son Bertie.

The Prince continued his journey along India’s coastlines until Kolkata. On December 23, he was greeted warmly upon his arrival. Pavilions were built on the muddy banks of Princep Ghat and ornamented with white and gold pillars draped with rose and banner garlands.

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Prince’s Trips within India

The Prince traveled from Kolkata to Varanasi, Lucknow, Delhi, and Lahore (now in Pakistan), taking use of the enormous train networks that had connected most of India from the mid-nineteenth century. The British Indian government built railways to convey commerce and troops. The network was especially vital during the Indian Uprising of 1857, when Lucknow was one of five cities in northern India entangled in the fight, which the Prince recalled during his visit to the city.

This section of the voyage was dedicated to honoring British and Indian troops and citizens who perished in the 1857 Uprising. The prince lay the cornerstone for a memorial to the Indian soldiers who defended the Residency and met some of the survivors.

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The Prince was invited to Ramnagar Palace in Varanasi by Maharaja Ishwari Narayan Prasad Singh. At twilight, he boarded the Maharaja’s state boat and traveled along the Ganges River. The river was covered in small lamps. Little earthen jars carrying oil and wick that looked like a starry sky moving between banks of gold.

Invitations to Indian Courts of Princely states of India

Throughout his voyage, the Prince got several invites from Indian rulers to visit their palaces and kingdoms. Making relationships with India’s kings was a vital feature of the visit, as many of their lineages had been established for generations.

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During his final months, the Prince traveled further inland, visiting Agra, Gwalior, Jaipur, Nepal, and Indore. The architecture of Jaipur, known as ‘The Pink City’, particularly impressed the Prince and his party; Russel noted that he had ‘never witnessed any street architecture of this sort’.

In Jaipur, Maharaja Ram Singh – II presented the Prince a lovely perfume container. The mechanism of this tray is quite interesting, when pressure is applied to the rod under the tray, the perfume holder’s ‘leaves’ open to expose a yellow enamelled cup and lid. The tray’s stand resembles the feet of an elephant. Elephant-like curled up trunks rest on green enamelled round feet adorned with gold-laid diamonds. The enamelled holder had required five firings and five years to be created as a masterpiece.

Departure from India

The Prince left India on March 13th, having traveled the length and width of the Indian subcontinent and met with over 90 Indian kings. Eager to share his experiences, he persuaded George Birdwood, curator of the Indian Museum at South Kensington (Victoria and Albert Museum), to take care of displaying the presents for the public to enjoy.

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