Princesses Sophia, Bamba & Catherine Singh 1895.
Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Many members will be familiar with Kensington Palace, with its sumptuous State Rooms, William Kent ceilings and glorious gardens.

The reason for going now is a fascinating and enlightening exhibition about the Punjabi Princess Sophia Duleep Singh and five women who shaped her extraordinary life. Sophia, her sisters, Catherine and Bamba, her mother Bamba Muller, grandmother Jind Kaur and godmother Queen Victoria each expressed womanhood, power, and royalty in different ways.

This exhibition was created to celebrate Sophia's 150th birthday. Sophia is best known as a suffragette who fought for women’s right to vote, using her position to further the cause. The spectacular but largely unknown stories of the lives of the sisters are told through objects, texts, pictures and reflections from contemporary South Asian women.

There will be the opportunity to tour the rest of Kensington Palace in the afternoon. There are 3 self-guided tours, all with a map and clear signposting.

To find out more and to book this outing, please contact: outingscoord.iu3a@gmail.com