King's Kings

That there is indeed a king of kings, though George V eschews the title, is never so apparent as when His Majesty draws to London the fabulous elect of India's native rulers, kings in their own realms. In wealth, sheer undevaluable silver, gold and gems, nearly every potentate in London last week surpassed George V. But there was the usual tendency in the English Press to outfable the fabulous. That potentate of potentates, His Highness the Maharaja of Patiala, Chancellor of the Chamber of Princes, was assumed to have taken a "whole floor" at the Savoy Hotel, assumed to be out shopping for "his sartorial foible. British underpants of a particular weave costing -L-200 per pair," assumed to have "brought from India his special curry cook who takes twelve hours to prepare that dish," assumed to spend "three and a half hours every morning curling his sardonic beard and adjusting his jewel-studded turban."

To an English friend who strolled in when he was pulling on his quite modest underpants, His Highness said, "I noticed yesterday that it took exactly two and a half minutes to comb my beard and put on my turban. I have not brought from India regalia worth eight million pounds Sterling. I left my curry cook in Paris to supervise the diet of the Maharanee who is ill. I don't insist that every article of leather be removed from any room I occupy. Most of my entourage are staying in Paris. I am here at the Savoy in two small suites--and having a jolly good time."

In the Jubilee procession (see p. 21), Patiala rode in a State carriage behind his King, together with His Majesty's other Honorary Indian Aides-de-Camp: H. H. the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, H. H. the Maharaja of Bikaner and the Nawab Malik Sir Umar Hayat Khan. In this attendance on the King Emperor the kings find their highest prestige. Because the Maharaja of Bikaner is today the Prince in waiting to George V of the Indian Empire, he plans to stop in London for a year. English friends call him "The Englishman," their highest praise. Last week "The Englishman" took an entire floor at the Carlton Hotel, gave no parties, did no shopping, but dropped in on his numerous English friends. Before leaving India he flung a largesse of $20,000 for celebration of the Silver Jubilee in his State of Bikaner, spent $50,000 building the George V Silver Jubilee Memorial Library of Bikaner.

In a small suite at Dorchester House the Gaekwar of Baroda briefly camped last week with his wife, a secretary and a few servants. Intending to leave the London Season flat as soon as the Buckingham Palace State Dinner has been eaten, Their Highnesses will slip over to Paris for the Gala Season and last week they left waiting for them in France their sleek motor car with solid gold fittings. As a self-made potentate would--the Gaekwar was a cowherder until adopted by the widowed Maharanee of Baroda as heir--His Highness did bring from India to the Jubilee gems such as Patiala was assumed to have brought. These included the world's ninth largest diamond, "The Star of the South," part of a necklace valued at $1,250,000 by jewelers--the Press multiplying by five or ten When correspondents addressed him respectfully as the Gaekwar of Baroda, his expression showed that something was amiss though his brief replies were the pink of Indian courtesy. "You see, gentlemen," said the Gaekwar of Baroda's secretary afterward, "His Highness the Maharaja should no more be called 'The Gaekwar' than a man who is Mr. Smith should be called 'The Smith.' This distinction is especially apparent if I may remind you that Gaekwar means 'Protector of the Cattle.' " Nonetheless, incorrigible Englishmen are apt to refer to him as the Gaekwar when not addressing His Highness. As many an Englishman would like to do, the Gaekwar owns an idyllic estate in Surrey which was once Alfred Lord Tennyson's "Aldworth."

A chubby, smiling man whom all England knows because his Windsor Lad won the 1934 Derby is H. H. the Maharaja of Rajpipla who gives endless lavish parties in his fine house at Windsor, as the Grade A potentates do not. "Why do people leave London in the fall?" he chirped last week. ''I am always loth to leave! Autumn colors, oysters, pheasants and partridges--they are best of all here!"

Most popular potentate with the English public this week is "Ranji's nephew." There breathes no Englishman who does not know that the late sovereign of Nawangar was the greatest Indian cricketer of all time and one of the world's greatest.

In London honeymooning last week was Ranji's nephew, His Highness the Maharaja Jam Saheb of Nawangar. For a wedding present he received a racehorse from the Aga Khan and five elephants from his father-in-law, the Marahao of Sirohi. Last week English ladies gushed politely over the excellent watercolor sketches of Ranji's nephew's bride, Princess Kanchankunverba. Said she, "I intend to paint some beautiful Devonshire scenery."

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