Sita Devi was born on May 12, 1917, in Madras, to the Maharaja of Pithapuram, Sri Raja Rao Venkata Kumara Mahipati Surya Rau Bahadur Garu, and his wife Sri Rani Chinnamamba Devi of Mirzapuram. She first married M.R. Apparao Bahadur, the Zamindar of Vayyur, with whom she had a child, Rajah M. Viduth Kumar Apparao.
Meeting with the Gaekwad and Marriage
In 1943, Sita Devi met her second husband, Pratapsinhrao Gaekwad of Baroda, at the Madras horse races. At that time, Pratapsinhrao was considered one of the wealthiest men in the world and the second richest Indian prince. Captivated by Sita Devi, Pratapsinhrao consulted his legal team about the possibility of marrying her. To dissolve her existing marriage under Indian law, she converted to Islam, only to revert to Hinduism afterward. The couple married on December 31, 1943, and had a son, Sayaji Rao Gaekwad, born in 1945, whom Sita Devi affectionately nicknamed “Princie.”
The British and the Second Wife
Pratapsinhrao’s marriage to Sita Devi as his second wife caused controversy among the British authorities due to violations of anti-bigamy laws previously enacted by the Gaekwad of Baroda. The British Viceroy in New Delhi summoned Pratapsinhrao to address the issue. Pratapsinhrao argued that the law applied to the subjects of Baroda and that, as their monarch, he was exempt. The Viceroy’s legal advice supported this argument, and the British government accepted the marriage, though they did not refer to Sita Devi as “Her Highness,” as was customary for princely states.
In Search of a New Home
In 1946, the Gaekwad couple toured Europe to find a residence outside India. They chose the independent principality of Monaco and purchased a mansion in Monte Carlo, where Maharani Sita Devi took up permanent residence. Pratapsinhrao frequently visited, bringing some of Baroda’s treasures to Monaco, where Sita Devi became their custodian.
Shopping Spree
The couple embarked on two spending sprees in the United States after World War II, reportedly spending $10 million on one trip. Indian officials discovered that Pratapsinhrao had taken large interest-free loans from the Baroda treasury. He complied with demands for repayment, making several payments from his substantial income.
Scattering of Baroda’s Jewels
The princely couple transferred a significant portion of Baroda’s treasures to Monaco, including renowned jewelry pieces such as four pearl carpets, the Baroda pearls, the Pink Brazilian Star of the South diamond, and the English Dresden diamond. Some items, like the Empress Eugenie Diamond, were later found in various locations, including a Geneva vault and Amsterdam jewelers. In 1994, one of the pearl carpets was sold for $31 million to an Arab prince and is now displayed at the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar.
The Extravagant Parties
Sita Devi was known for her extravagant lifestyle and attended some of the most exclusive global events. At the 1969 Ascot Gold Cup, she invited guests to touch a 30-carat sapphire on her hand for good luck. Esquire Magazine even featured her and Princie as one of the “fun couples” of 1969. In 1953, she sold a pair of bejeweled anklets to Harry Winston, which were later turned into a necklace for the Duchess of Windsor. The Duchess, after wearing it to a New York ball, returned it after Sita Devi’s remark that the jewels looked better on her own feet.
The Deposition and Divorce
In 1951, due to discrepancies and possible fraud, Pratapsinhrao was deposed, and his eldest son, Fatehsinhrao, by his first wife, succeeded him. Although they were no longer heads of state, the couple insisted on retaining their titles. They divorced in 1956, after which Pratapsinhrao moved to London.
The Waning Days
Following the divorce, Sita Devi clung to her former grandeur. Her Rolls-Royce still bore the Baroda insignia, and she continued to live in style, reminiscing about her royal days and attending exclusive parties. However, as her finances dwindled, she secretly auctioned some of her cherished jewels in 1974. The Maharani experienced personal tragedy in 1985 when Princie committed suicide at the age of 40, reportedly due to alcoholism and drug addiction. Sita Devi herself passed away four years later, with speculation that her death was due to a broken heart.
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