Prince Charles and his wife Camilla Parker Bowles will be hosted for a night at Patiala’s Moti Bagh Palace when they arrive in India for the inauguration of the Commonwealth Games early in October.
During what is being described as a “private” sojourn to the erstwhile princely state, the royal couple will be guests of Punjab’s former chief minister and scion of Patiala’s royal family, Capt. Amarinder Singh and his wife Preneet Kaur, who is currently minister of state for external affairs.
While the visit is yet to be officially acknowledged by the British foreign office and the high commission at Delhi, Capt. Amarinder Singh said arrangements were already underway to make the Prince and the Duchess of Cornwall’s stay at Motibagh “welcoming and warm.”
The Prince of Wales first visited Patiala in March 2006, when besides the Motibagh, he interacted with local farmers involved in organic and sustainable agricultural practices and also inaugurated the Bhoomi Vardaan Foundation, created on the lines of Duchy Originals — an organisation he set up in 1992.
“Despite the big storm that blew away the banquet laid out in their honour, both Charles and Camilla thoroughly enjoyed their last visit to Patiala and have agreed to come back on our invitation,” Capt. Singh told this newspaper on Wednesday. An exquisite royal banquet is being planned again, where though there won’t be any of the fragrant fresh alphonso dessert like the last time, but the menu will include centuries-old recipes once reserved only for royalty. While Charles is on his second visit, the last Prince of Wales to come to Patiala was his great-uncle Edward (later Edward VIII) who stayed at Patiala’s old Motibagh Palace in 1922.
There is, however, no official confirmation of the royal visit with the Punjab government. But chief minister Parkash Singh Badal said his administration would make all the necessary arrangements when requested.