By Royal Appointment

Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh Ji Bahadur of Jaipur opens his family’s palace doors to Grazia, and talks about his passion for polo, commitment to empower women, and penchant for fashion Royal Family

- Ildo Damiano

Clad in a linen shirt, blue jeans and blue velvet Friulane shoes, His Highness the Maharaja Sawai Padmanhabh Singh Ji Bahadur of Jaipur greets us with a genteel nod and handshake in the garden of the City Palace. The palace, which is his family’s residence, partially doubles up as a museum. It is open to the public. As I sit down on one of the rattan sofas in the park, a host of waiters in livery and red turbans offer me local teas and delicacies, like the Gulab Jamun.

In the distance, some of his friends call on him to engage in a game of camel polo. They are quick to mount adorned camels, while being greeted by notes of a musical band, in customary fashion. However, not everyone is privy to this royal sport. In fact, only a select 400 people from across the globe are invited to partake in the year-end festivities, which span across four days in Rajasthan. As head of the household, the 20-year-old Maharaja is keen to educate me on the progress India has made.