CHENNAI: Recalling the British royal family’s connection with India on the eve of the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, the Prince of Arcot, Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali, highlighted the long historical relationship between his ancestors - the Nawabs of Carnatic - and the British, in South India, for more than 300 years.
At a function organised by the British Council, the Arcot Nawab read out a letter written by King George III to his ancestor Nawab Muhammad Ali Wallajah of the Carnatic on February 6, 1768.
The eighth prince in succession, after the abolition of the Nawabship of the Carnatic in 1855 following the Doctrine of Lapse and conferment of the title ‘The Prince of Arcot’ by Queen Victoria in 1867, Ali hailed the royal couple and said they had set an example by urging that traditional wedding gifts and donations be made to the charities they have established.
Paul Sellers, Director of British Council in South India, released a catalogue on the Royal Memorabilia from 1857-2011.
British Deputy High Commissioner Mike Nithavrianakis and chairman of Coaching Foundation India Limited, Pradipta K Mohapatra, spoke.
The three-day exhibition ‘Royal Memorabilia’ 1857-2011, organized by the British Council and Association of British Scholars will have about 100 memorabilias on display.
These include commemorative coins, rarest medallions and wrist watches. From India’s first war of Independence in 1857 till the formation of India and Pakistan, the expo traverses a large chunk of history.
Also present was former civil servant and environmentalist P M Beliappa.
