Anita Delgado

Maharani of Kapurthala
Husband Jagatjit Singh (m. 1908; d. 1949)
Issue Ajit Singh
Signature

Anita Delgado Briones (1890–1962) was a Spanish flamenco dancer and singer from Andalusia who achieved fame for having married the Indian Maharaja of Kapurthala, thus becoming a Maharani of Kapurthala.

Biography

She was born on February 8, 1890 in Málaga. The family emigrated to Madrid, where her beauty and that of her sister were welcomed. Painters Julio Romero de Torres and Ricardo Baroja asked that they model, but Anita refused being only 16.

During the marriage ceremony of king Alfonso XIII of Spain in Madrid, Jagatjit Singh Bahadur, the Maharaja of the princely state of Kapurthala watched her performances in a cafe-concert. He attempted to court her, but his approaches were rejected, and he left after the bombing of the royal couple (May 31, 1906). Later, however, her friends Romero de Torres, Ramón María del Valle-Inclán and Pastora Imperio convinced her to answer his messages and meet him in Paris. He had her educated (including in French) in order that he could explain his love for her. [1]They married on 28 January 1908. After a Sikh marriage in India, she changed her name to Maharani Prem Kaur.[2]

They later travelled in Europe and India, and she wrote a book about this time called "Impresiones de mis viajes a las Indias". She also gave the Maharaja a son, Maharajkumar Ajit Singh (born 26 April 1908, educated at Cambridge University and at the Military Academy, Dehra Dun. Assistant to the Indian Trade Commissioner in Argentina, died in 1982). During the first World War, her husband worked in Franco-British hospitals. They separated after Delgado allegedly had an affair with her step son. Anita was allowed to keep her jewels and an allowance on the condition that she did not remarry. As a result she stayed in Paris living secretly with her secretary in order that her allowance continued. A ship carrying her jewels to France sank en route. The jewels are said to be worth millions.[1] She died on 7 July 1962 in Madrid.

In the media

A movie on Anita's life titled La princesa de Kapurthala starring the Spanish actress Penélope Cruz was slated to begin shooting in 2006. However a descendent of Jagatjit Singh, Shatrujit Singh, has opposed the filming since he considers that Javier Moro's novel on which it is based distorts truth, especially the allegations of the Maharajah forcing Anita to an abortion.[3]

Literature

References

  1. 1 2 "How to marry a maharaja". The Independent. 2007-11-05. Retrieved 2017-07-06.
  2. ↑ Nash, Elizabeth (5 November 2007). "How to marry a maharaja". The Independent. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
  3. ↑ Las autoridades indias, contra Penélope Cruz.
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