Remarkable album containing more than 70 photographs of H.R.H. The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII of Great Britain, visiting Gwalior in India during his grand Eastern Tour in 1921-1922. The present album, containing original gelatin silver photographs, was most likely authorized by the Royal Household and possibly presented to those involved in the Tour. The photographs illustrate the entire visit of the Prince of Wales in Gwalior, from processions, elephant rides, hunting parties (shooting tigers), the inspection of the Gwalior army (the panorama), Maharaja Scindia, Prince George and Princess Mary, and other landmarks and excursions.
"On October 26 1921, Edward, Prince of Wales left Portsmouth to begin a tour of the Indian Subcontinent and Japan that covered 41,000 miles, lasting 8 months. Prince Edward spent four months in India, travelling from Bombay to Calcutta and then from Madras to Karachi. As the British Empire's Ambassador, the Prince visited India on behalf of his father King George V, to thank the nation for the essential role it had played during the First World War. Moreover, the visit was intended to strengthen links between Britain and its Empire at a time of increasing calls for Indian independence." (Royal Collection Trust).
"The Eastern tour of the Prince of Wales during 1921-22 was in many respects the most important mission his Royal Highness has yet undertaken in the interests of the Empire. Although, in point of distance travelled, it did not equal the tour to Australia and New Zealand - the journey by sea being, roughly, 8,000 miles less - it covered a wider and more varied field, and yielded an exhaustive survey of political and social conditions in the countries of Asia which are most directly concerned with the welfare of the British Empire."(Introduction in The Eastern book). Some of the photographs in the present album were reproduced and published in The Prince of Wales' Eastern book, a pictorial record of the voyages of H.M.S. "Renown", 1921-22.
The trip proved to one of Britain's worst public relations and diplomatic disasters. While it meant to shore up relations between the Crown and India, increasing support for Gandhi's self-government movement, resentment at political oppression, poverty and an ongoing famine juxtaposed against the lavishness of the events caused protests and riots throughout his visit. His visit to the state of Gwalior was somewhat less fraught and one of the most elaborate spectacles of the India tour.
While the photos are not signed and no photo credit is given, the probable photographer can be named, since the photo's in the Royal Trust Collection have been identified as those taken by R.L. Desai, from Lashkar in Gwalior (active possibly since the late 19th century and definitely in 1922).
With a small note (8 x 12.5 cm) mounted on the recto of the first free end leaf with a contemporary inscription in brown ink: "From [...] 1922" and "H.R.H". The binding is rubbed and stained and shows signs of wear along the corners and edges of the boards, without affecting the overall integrity, spine re-backed in light leather. Occasional slight foxing of the leaves, the photographs are in fine condition. Overall in good condition. Other copies of many of these photos in the Royal Collection Trust, for example "Prince George Jivaji Rao and Princess Kamla Raja in marching order", RCIN 2702759: https://www.rct.uk/collection/search#/3/collection/2702759/prince-george-jivaji-rao-and-princess-kamla-raja-in-marching-order.