Babies of the Empire

Part of the Spotlight feature Realm of the Royals

The photographs above are all of young Indian princes, scions and boy-kings from 19th-century India. Unlike their fathers, uncles and older brothers, they’ve not yet acquired that proud kingly stare, that almost smug look of superiority. But for a few exceptions, these little fellows just look bored, uncomfortable and like they’d rather be playing outside. The honesty of their expressions lends a poignancy to these pictures. Uneasy, indeed, lies the head that may someday wear a crown.

Tedious photo sessions were not even the worst of what a young prince had to endure. There was also the drudgery of private tuitions. According to historian Teresa Segura-Garcia, “By the early 19th century, the East India Company had begun subtly to alter the education of Indian princes. Motivated by the need to forge alliances with local allies, the Company singled out Indian aristocrats to prove that education had the power to civilise.” Read more about the sudden spotlight that shone on young Indian royals, not unlike the ones above, and how it changed their lives in The Illiterate Boy Who Became a Maharaja.