Lunchtime Talk: Royalty and the British Raj

In 1947, Indian and Pakistan became independent dominions, able to govern themselves as part of the British Commonwealth of Nations ending their decades long allegiance to the British monarchy. Today, India is the largest country in the modern Commonwealth, an organisation with close links to Westminster Abbey.

Prior to gaining independence, the Indian subcontinent was seen as the ‘jewel in the crown’ of the British Empire and played an important role in shaping the character and history of the British monarchy.

In this talk, Professor Chandrika Kaul will examine the relationship between the royals and the Raj and contextualise the imperial role of the Royals and monarchy. She will consider the impression that royal visits to India made on both British and Indian subjects and reveal how the pomp and ceremony so intimately associated with the royal coronations and celebrations in Britian was rivalled by the equally ostentatious and colourful Delhi Durbars.

This event is part of our monthly Lunchtime Talk series. On the second Wednesday of every month, join us at St Margaret’s Church for an in-depth exploration of part of the Abbey’s history.

About Chandrika Kaul

Chandrika Kaul is a Professor of Modern History at the University of St Andrews who specialises in modern British, Imperial and media history. Her research interests include the British empire especially in South Asia, the British Monarchy, and the British Media with a focus on the British Press and the BBC. She is the recipient of a Leverhulme Major Research Fellowship, and is a Founding Co-editor of the book series ‘Palgrave Studies in the History of the Media’. Her most recent edited book is ‘M. K. Gandhi, Media, Politics and Society: New Perspectives’ (2020) and she is currently completing a book on the BBC and India.

Host or Publisher Westminster Abbey