Kensington mansion once home to the Maharaja of Lahore’s exiled son goes on sale for £15.5m

An elegant mansion in London‘s Kensington which was once home to an exiled prince who was a godson of Queen Victoria has gone on the market for £15.5million.

The stunning five-bedroom property in The Little Boltons was occupied by Victor Duleep Singh, son of the last Maharaja of Lahore Sir Duleep Singh – now part of Pakistan – during the Victorian era.

After his exile Prince Victor married Lady Anne Coventry, the daughter of the 9th Earl of Coventry, in January 1898 – a mix-raced union which caused a furore in London high society as it was the first time an Indian royal had married an English noblewoman.

The match was resisted by both families, but helped along by Prince Victor’s friends in high places – most notably Edward, Prince of Wales, who later became King Edward VII, and the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, best known as the financial backer of the search for and excavation of Tutankhamen’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings in 1922.

An elegant mansion in London’s Kensington which was once home to an exiled prince who was a godson of Queen Victoria has gone on the market for £15.5million

In 2010 the exquisite semi-detached villa was refurbished and modernised, with a stylish, contemporary extension added to the lower ground floor level

In 2010 the exquisite semi-detached villa was refurbished and modernised, with a stylish, contemporary extension added to the lower ground floor level

The stunning five-bedroom property in The Little Boltons was occupied by Victor Duleep Singh, son of the last Maharaja of Lahore Sir Duleep Singh - now part of Pakistan - during the Victorian era

Lady Anne Coventry

The stunning five-bedroom property in The Little Boltons was occupied by Victor Duleep Singh (pictured left), son of the last Maharaja of Lahore Sir Duleep Singh – now part of Pakistan – during the Victorian era. Pictured right: his wife Lady Anne Coventry

In 2010 the exquisite semi-detached villa was refurbished and modernised, with a stylish, contemporary extension added to the lower ground floor level, creating a large open space with full height glazing opening onto the generous 52 foot rear garden. 

It spans 5,613 sq ft and boasts two formal reception rooms as well as an informal family or media room, a family kitchen and breakfast room, and a gym.    

On the raised ground floor there is a large entrance hall with timber flooring and high ceilings, giving access to the front drawing room with a large bay window and, to the rear of the house, the kitchen and breakfast room and separate dining room. 

The modern family kitchen has polished green and brushed-steel units with two sets of French doors opening onto the first floor roof terrace. The adjoining dining room also opens onto this outdoor space.

The modern family kitchen has polished green and brushed-steel units with two sets of French doors opening onto the first floor roof terrace

The modern family kitchen has polished green and brushed-steel units with two sets of French doors opening onto the first floor roof terrace

The added extension provides a large open space with full height glazing opening onto the generous 52 foot rear garden

The added extension provides a large open space with full height glazing opening onto the generous 52 foot rear garden

The property spans 5,613 sq ft and boasts two formal reception rooms as well as an informal family or media room, a family kitchen and breakfast room and a gym. Pictured: the open plan lower ground floor family room

The property spans 5,613 sq ft and boasts two formal reception rooms as well as an informal family or media room, a family kitchen and breakfast room and a gym. Pictured: the open plan lower ground floor family room

The informal dining area on the lower ground floor, bordered by floor-to-ceiling glass sliding walls which open onto the large paved terrace and rear garden

The informal dining area on the lower ground floor, bordered by floor-to-ceiling glass sliding walls which open onto the large paved terrace and rear garden

On the raised ground floor there is a large entrance hall with timber flooring and high ceilings (pictured) which leads to the front drawing room (to the right)

On the raised ground floor there is a large entrance hall with timber flooring and high ceilings (pictured) which leads to the front drawing room (to the right)

The downstairs front drawing room, currently used as a children's play room, has a stunning floor-to-ceiling bay window with views onto the street

The downstairs front drawing room, currently used as a children’s play room, has a stunning floor-to-ceiling bay window with views onto the street

On the lower ground floor there is a large open plan living space providing a family room, media room and informal dining area, bordered by floor-to-ceiling glass sliding walls which open onto the large paved terrace and rear garden. 

This large open plan space gives access to the gymnasium, with the staff quarters to the front of the lower ground floor. The home was originally staffed with a butler, two maids, a governess and a gardener.

The entire first floor provides the principal bedroom suite, with the main bedroom benefiting from access to a private balcony and terrace, complete with a walk-in dressing room, opening onto two balconies and the main bathroom. 

During the Victorian and Edwardian eras, when Prince and Princess Victor Duleep Singh lived at the house, this floor provided them with two VIP bedroom suites. 

The entire first floor provides the principal bedroom suite, with the main bedroom benefiting from access to a private balcony and terrace

The entire first floor provides the principal bedroom suite, with the main bedroom benefiting from access to a private balcony and terrace

The enormous master bedroom comes complete with a walk-in dressing room (pictured), opening onto two balconies, and the main bathroom

The enormous master bedroom comes complete with a walk-in dressing room (pictured), opening onto two balconies, and the main bathroom

During the Victorian and Edwardian eras, when Prince and Princess Victor Duleep Singh lived at the house, this floor provided them with two VIP bedroom suites (pictured)

During the Victorian and Edwardian eras, when Prince and Princess Victor Duleep Singh lived at the house, this floor provided them with two VIP bedroom suites (pictured)

One of the five bedrooms at the historic property which is currently occupied by the family's children (pictured)

One of the five bedrooms at the historic property which is currently occupied by the family’s children (pictured)

On the upper floors there are four further bedrooms, two with en suite bathrooms and two sharing a main bathroom. Pictured: a family bathroom

On the upper floors there are four further bedrooms, two with en suite bathrooms and two sharing a main bathroom. Pictured: a family bathroom

The Little Boltons house was originally built by builder John Spicer between 1866-68 and designed by architect George Godwin junior. Pictured: the main bathroom

The Little Boltons house was originally built by builder John Spicer between 1866-68 and designed by architect George Godwin junior. Pictured: the main bathroom

On the upper floors there are four further bedrooms, two with en suite bathrooms and two sharing a main bathroom.  

The Little Boltons house was originally built by builder John Spicer between 1866-68, designed by architect George Godwin junior, under the auspices of Robert Gunter, of the wealthy confectionery family who had invested their fortune in luxury property development.  

Spicer was chosen to build the houses in The Little Boltons because he had constructed the grandest houses in Pimlico for the Grosvenor family. 

Upon completion in late 1868, the house in The Little Boltons was purchased by the quasi-Government owned East India Company, and registered as an investment property to be leased for rental income. 

The 5th Earl of Carnarvon was a friend of Prince Victor's

Edward, Prince of Wales, who later became King Edward VII, helped Prince Victor's marriage go ahead

The marriage of Prince Victor and Lady Anne was resisted by both families, but helped along by Prince Victor’s friends in high places – most notably Edward, Prince of Wales (right), who later became King Edward VII – and the 5th Earl of Carnarvon (left), best known as the financial backer of the search for and excavation of Tutankhamen’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings in 1922

The 5th Earl of Carnarvon and Prince Victor Duleep Singh together at the pyramids in Egypt in 1898, on Victor and Lady Anne's honeymoon

The 5th Earl of Carnarvon and Prince Victor Duleep Singh together at the pyramids in Egypt in 1898, on Victor and Lady Anne’s honeymoon

The East India Company leased the property for a peppercorn rent to the Duleep Singh family, the former Royal Maharajas of Lahore, who since the 1840s had been exiled in Britain when the East India Company and the British Raj took over their state.

Jeremy Gee, managing director of Beauchamp Estates, said: ‘This substantial former ‘grace-and-favour’ home of the exiled Crown Prince of Lahore has been designed to provide excellent proportions and benefits from high ceilings, large living spaces and a 52 ft rear garden. 

‘It is located in one of south-west Kensington’s most sought after residential addresses.’ 

Who was the playboy Prince Victor Jay Duleep Singh? 

Prince Victor Jay Duleep Singh was the son of Sir Duleep Singh, the last Maharaja of Lahore

Prince Victor Jay Duleep Singh was the son of Sir Duleep Singh, the last Maharaja of Lahore

Born on July 10, 1866 at a 99 Onslow Square in London – his godmother was Queen Victoria – and educated at Eton College and Cambridge University, Prince Victor Jay Duleep Singh was the son of Sir Duleep Singh, the last Maharaja of Lahore (1838-1893), who in 1849 had been deposed and sent into exile in London. 

The East India Company provided the displaced royal family with ‘grace-and-favour’ London homes which the East India Company acquired in The Boltons, Wimbledon and Roehampton, leased to the Indian Royals at a peppercorn rent. 

The family also had use of a 17,000 acre country house, Elveden Hall, in Suffolk. 

Prince Victor’s wedding to Lady Anne Coventry took place in St Peter’s Church in Eaton Square, attended by the then Prince of Wales and Queen Victoria. 

The British authorities leased The Little Boltons house to the newly married couple as their new marital home. 

The 1871 Census showed the house registered under East India Company ownership and staffed by a butler, two maids, a governess – for English language lessons – and a gardener. Prince Victor also rented Hockwold Hall in Brandon, Norfolk.

Prince Victor and his wife socialised with friends who included George Herbert, the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, of Tutankhamun fame, and his wife Almina, the Rothschild heiress. 

The couple also enjoyed travelling overseas and in 1898, for their honeymoon, they visited Cairo and the pyramids with Lord and Lady Carnarvon. They also spent long periods of time in Paris and Monaco.

Prince Victor loved the high life including gambling, horse racing and partying at Claridges in Mayfair and the Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo. Claridges was a favourite haunt since the regal family had first stayed there whilst their new London homes were being prepared for them.

Despite his ‘grace-and-favour’ Little Boltons home and an annual allowance of £8,250 and his wife’s income of £2,500 per year, Prince Victor was declared bankrupt on September 4, 1902 with debts totaling £117,900 – a fortune at that time.

The Prince and Princess spent WWI in Monaco where the Prince died, aged just 51, on June 7, 1918 at the Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo. 

His widow, Anne, Her Highness Princess Duleep Singh of Lahore, returned to London and continued to have use of The Little Boltons house until her death aged 82 on July 2, 1956.