Sophia Duleep Singh
1876 – 1948
Who was Sophia Duleep Singh?
Princess Sophia Duleep Singh (1876–1948) was a British suffragette of Indian royal descent. A daughter of Maharaja Duleep Singh and a goddaughter of Queen Victoria, she used her status to campaign for women's right to vote in Britain.
Key Achievement
Used her royal status as Queen Victoria's goddaughter to champion women's suffrage in Britain
Her story
Princess Sophia Alexandra Duleep Singh was a prominent suffragette and the goddaughter of Queen Victoria. Born into Sikh royalty as the daughter of Maharajah Duleep Singh, the last Maharajah of the Sikh Empire, she lived a privileged life in Britain but became radicalized by the inequality she witnessed. Despite her royal connections and comfortable position in British society, she joined the Women's Social and Political Union and became one of the most visible campaigners for women's suffrage. She sold the suffragette newspaper outside Hampton Court Palace where she resided, refused to pay taxes since women couldn't vote, and participated in major demonstrations including the Black Friday protest of 1910. Her activism was particularly significant as a woman of color in the British suffrage movement, and she used her royal status to draw attention to the cause. She also worked as a nurse during World War I and continued her advocacy for Indian independence and women's rights throughout her life.
Questions people ask about Sophia Duleep Singh
Who was Sophia Duleep Singh?
She was a princess, the daughter of Maharaja Duleep Singh, the last ruler of the Sikh Empire. She became a leading campaigner for women's suffrage in Britain.
What did Sophia Duleep Singh do for women's rights?
She joined the Women's Social and Political Union and the Women's Tax Resistance League. She refused to pay taxes while women could not vote, and sold suffragette newspapers outside Hampton Court Palace.
Was Sophia Duleep Singh at Black Friday?
Yes. She was among the protesters at the Black Friday demonstration outside Parliament on 18 November 1910.
How is Sophia Duleep Singh remembered?
Royal Mail put her on a stamp in 2018, and she was the subject of Anita Anand's biography 'Sophia: Princess, Suffragette, Revolutionary'.
Sources & further reading
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