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Lilah Wingfield The Maloja (in the background) docks in Aden. The bunting is up to welcome King George and Queen Mary within the week. Lilah in Aden On board the Maloja, the young Maharaja of Jodhpur, aged 13, with his guardian Thakur Dhokal Singh (left) and Sylvia Brooke (right). Both Indians became close friends of Lilah. The Maharaja was allowed to attend the Durbar on condition that he returned immediately after to his British school, Wellington College. Lilah arrived in Bombay harbour on 28 November. She took this picture with her Kodak from her cabin porthole. The Grand Trunk Road into Delhi Lilah's first sight of The Tented City, after a two day train journey from Bombay Lilah attended by her ayah outside her tent Lilah's chaperone Judy Smith (right) and her friend Sylvia Brooke (centre) Tradesmen showing their wares in the 10th Hussars encampment. Sylvia Brooke and her brother Basil (centre couple), a captain in the Hussars. Col. Barnes of the 10th Hussars off duty with 'Major' Lilah borrowed a horse in the Tented City for her first ride in five years The Ruling Princes and their entourages started arriving by train in early December, at the rate of nine or ten a day The Maharana of Udaipur. The most revered of the maharajas, he was held in such awe that the Viceroy created a special role for him during the Durbar to ensure his loyalty. The plan failed. The Maharaja of Indore, aged 21, was being groomed for rule by the India Office. Lilah had met him in London, but found him disturbingly suave. Ten years later one of his wives fled to take refuge with a Bombay merchant. The Maharaja arranged for the merchant's murder and the permanent disfiguring of the girl's face. Fearing that the Indian Princes might rally to the Maharaja, who could be tried only by a court of his peers, the Viceroy, Lord Reading, forced him to abdicate in favour of his son. The entrance gate to the Tented City, blazoned with the words <br />'INDIA GREETS YOUR IMPERIAL MAJESTIES' Lilah caught the eye of her friend the young Maharaja of Jodhpur, waved and took his photograph. His political adviser is on his left. Once the King had passed through the Delhi Gate, the Ruling Princes followed in a glorious procession of ancient tradition, wild exuberance and colour The Procession of the King Emperor and Queen Empress approaching the great Cathedral Mosque of India on their way to Jama Musjid Lilah's photograph of the Queen Empress during the State Entry Lilah's photograph of The Royal couple preparing to receive homage from the Ruling Princes (the much larger Royal shamiana where they will soon move is 100 feet behind) The King-Emperor receiving homage from the Ruling Prince of Burma In the grandstand, before the arrival of Their Imperial Highnesses, Lilah meets for the first time the Begum of Bhopal, India's only female ruler. Prince Obaidulla, the Begum's son, walks behind his mother. The Gaikwar of Baroda appeared in the amphitheatre in his jewels. Before paying homage to the King Emperor, he stripped them off. The Gaikwar of Baroda paid homage peremptorily to the King Emperor. Afterwards he turned his back on him, causing a major political scandal. The Royal couple moved to the Royal Shamiana to be seated on gold thrones. From here King George announced the transfer of the capital from Calcutta to Delhi and the reversal of Curzon's 1903 partition of Bengal. Towards the end of the garden party, the King and Queen went into one of the marble palaces and reappeared in crowns and robes, with their princely pages by their side, to step onto the balcony The King and Queen sat on the marble balcony overlooking the great plain where the People's fete took place - complete with side shows, dancing dervishes, wild music, feats of horsemanship, tilting and wrestling. Throngs of visitors from every state and province marched past for an hour. Procession in front of the Royal couple during the People's Fete Gerald Stewart, a captain in the 10th Hussars, who lost his heart to Lilah during the Durbar. He was to be killed three years later in the Great War. Lilah visiting the Chandni Chowk for the last time. In the distance she heard the sound of the 101 gun salute from the Ridge as the Royal couple departed. The King and Queen departing from Delhi after the Durbar celebrations Lilah sets off early for the Khyber Pass in a tonga behind her friends Lilah and Judy Smith eating a sandwich on the Khyber Pass Lilah (sitting second left) on the Khyber Pass at the furthermost border of the British frontier with an armed escort Lilah in Colombo before catching the S.S.Malwa to England On board the Malwa, Alice Teck (left), Mrs Fitzroy and Lady Adelaide Colville Mrs Fitzroy on board with one of her many Indian birds given to her by a maharaja The theosophist Annie Besant joined Lilah on the ship with Krishnamurti (right), who she believed was the new Messiah. She caused a sensation at the station when she arrived in London. Within a month of returning to her elderly mother, who was awaiting her arrival in Harley Street, Lilah had met the MP Clive Morrison-Bell. She became engaged to him immediately.
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