On the eve of Indian independence in 1947, India’s 562 princes occupied nearly half its landmass and ruled over a third of its population. They lived in fairy-tale palaces, amassed untold fortunes in diamonds and precious stones, maintained fleets of Rolls Royces, and travelled in specially appointed train carriages, arriving in the capital Delhi to the sound of thunderous gun salutes. In the endgame of empire, however, they were the biggest losers. And three-quarters of a century later, all but the richest, and the most politically active, live ordinary and mundane lives. At our Online Talk #DiamondsToDust, historian and author John Zubrzycki looks at the forces behind their downfall and what we can learn from their dethronement.

About the speaker

John Zubrzycki has worked in India as an Australian diplomat and foreign correspondent and has a PhD in Indian history. He is the author of six books on India. including ‘Dethroned: Patel, Menon and the Integration of Princely India’, ‘The House of Jaipur: The Inside Story of India's Most Glamorous Royal Family’ and ‘The Last Nizam: The Rise and Fall of India's Greatest Princely State.’