Wightwick Manor brings a century-old royal romance to Wolverhampton Diwali festival
The National Trust at Wightwick Manor and Gardens will include the little-known romance of an Indian princess and a member of the Mander family as part of this year’s Diwali celebrations, which run in Wolverhampton from 24 October until 8 November. The tale of Princess Sudhira of Cooch Behar and Alan Mander — a relationship that once drew headlines and family opposition more than 100 years ago — will form a cultural strand of the Festival of Lights programme at the historic manor.
Princess Sudhira, known informally as "Baby", was one of the daughters of Maharajah Nripendra Narayan and Maharani Suniti Devi of Cooch Behar in what is now West Bengal. Her family had close ties with Britain and its royal household, frequently travelling to England. The new interpretation at Wightwick Manor will highlight how those international connections intersected with the social and domestic history of Wolverhampton’s own Mander family.
The romance began after Sudhira fell ill and was cared for in a London nursing home, where she met Alan Mander — described in contemporary accounts as one of the younger sons of Theodore and Flora Mander, the couple who built Wightwick Manor. A friendship developed during his visits with his sister-in-law and, according to the material being retold at the Manor, that friendship matured into a relationship that met with resistance from family and prompted a lengthy voyage thought to keep the pair apart.
"Their story, which included family opposition, an extended voyage intended to keep them apart and a suitor who reportedly followed his future bride around the world, forms part of celebrations at the National Trust's Wightwick Manor and Gardens in Wolverhampton."
Curators at Wightwick Manor have framed the episode not simply as a romantic anecdote but as a lens on wider themes: the global reach of elite networks in the Edwardian period, the social expectations placed on royal and landed families, and the personal costs of such expectations. The narrative also complements the National Trust’s efforts to present the history of the Manor within the context of its international connections.
- Event: Diwali – Festival of Lights programme at Wightwick Manor
- Dates: 24 October to 8 November
- Feature: Story of Princess Sudhira and Alan Mander
Diwali, celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains and observed by some Buddhists, is typically marked by light, music and storytelling. For Wolverhampton residents the Manor’s offering will mesh local heritage with a global story, showing how a Wolverhampton-built house and an Indian princely family came into one another’s orbit more than a century ago.
| Person | Connection |
|---|---|
| Princess Sudhira ("Baby") | Daughter of Maharajah Nripendra Narayan and Maharani Suniti Devi of Cooch Behar |
| Alan Mander | One of the youngest sons of Theodore and Flora Mander (builders of Wightwick Manor) |
For locals, the interpretation promises to shine a fresh light on familiar rooms and gardens. Wightwick Manor’s collection and architecture are already a draw for residents and visitors; layering in a cross‑continental human story for Diwali is a further invitation to explore the house’s role in wider histories.
The National Trust’s choice to foreground this romance during the Festival of Lights underlines a broader trend among heritage organisations to broaden the narratives associated with historic properties. By doing so at a time when many communities are celebrating Diwali, the Manor will link Wolverhampton’s cultural calendar to a story that once captured international attention.
Details of ticketing, opening times and any additional programming around the story will be available from Wightwick Manor and Gardens and the National Trust in the run-up to the festival.
