Elsie Caroline Thompson was born in 1883 into a well educated but conservative family of Sydney.
Her father was a bookseller and stationer in Erskine Street, Sydney.
“Her father instilled in her a love for literature and Elsie loved poetry. She read Tagore and loved the Rubaiyat by Omar Khayyam which she often quoted and even before she dreamt of going to India or the East,” says Elsie’s grand-nephew Chris Kunz who has penned a book on her life, 'Maharani - The First Australian Princess'.
"Little did she know then that her love for the classical poets would one day take her to India or that she would marry an Indian King."
Beautiful and talented as Elsie was, she went on to perform on stage as an actress, singer and comedienne at the age of 17.
Source: Supplied Courtesy Royal Aero Club
A bit avant-garde for that era, she was among those who toured around the world with Eugen Sandow’s company.
"That is how Elsie reached India, where a great adventure awaited her.
“Elsie staged on the very first night at the opening show in Calcutta at the Theatre Royal on Saturday 29th October 1904 and she opened the Sandow company show where the Maharajah (King) of Tikari was present along with several other Princes, and at least two of them fell in love with her,” says Mr Kunz.
Enter the Prince
One Maharajah who was besotted with Elsie was the Maharajah Raj Rajendra of Cooch Behar, a dashing King of a huge state, which was a much bigger state than Tikari.
But their alliance did not materialise.
The other Maharajah, who got lucky was Raji-Kumar Gopal Saran Narain Singh, the Maharaja of Tikari.
Elsie and Raji were together for some time until they got married in 1909.
Source: Supplied by Chris Kunz
Elsie went on to become the second wife of the Maharajah.
Mr Kunz shares in his book that it worried Elsie to be the second wife and she tried her best to help the Maharajah’s first wife cope with the situation.
Did the two wives get along?
“Oh yes, both the wives did ultimately get on,” Mr Kunz tells SBS Hindi with a chuckle.
Elsie and the Maharajah lived for together for some time in India but often travelled together to Europe.
Source: Supplied by Chris Kunz
Being a motor car racing fanatic, he drove in races in Britain and the rest of Europe.
Elsie often accompanied him and after World War-I, she stayed in London in a luxurious apartment overlooking the Regent Park.
Source: Supplied by Chris Kunz
Reactions from the Community and Press
"110 years ago in 1909, it was extremely unusual, almost shocking to many people," Mr Kunz says of Ms Thompson's decision to marry an Indian King.
Ms Thompson was a known figure and her decision stunned many in the community.
"We also had the White Australia Policy and it was considered something almost evil or devilish or fascinating for the newspapers and she really was a sensation at that time," says Mr Kunz.
"Her family themselves found it difficult to cope with it initially, but once they got formally married, they accepted the fact that they were a loving couple.”
Source: Supplied by Chris Kunz
But their marriage did not last long.
"Their marriage hit the rocks and some legal issues were involved and that’s when the family started distancing themselves from Elsie. It was a tragedy for her,” avers Chris.
"Her brother had even named his house in Roseville in Sydney, 'Tikari' while they were married."
“Subsequently when she left the Maharajah she lived with someone else, which was not really done in those days,” Mr Kunz shares.
Source: Supplied by Chris Kunz
Elsie and Raji had no children as she had made it clear to him that due to some abdominal problems, she would never be able to bear children.
"Their fairy tale ended without the happily ever after,” he says.
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Source: Supplied by Chris Kunz
