AN event in Lichfield telling the story of the tragic death of a princess has received national recognition.
The talk – A Forgotten Princess: Irene Duleep Singh and the Evolution of Mental Health and Law – will take place at Erasmus Darwin House at 1pm on 12th and 13th September.
It has been selected for a national spotlight slot as part of the Heritage Open Days programme.
A spokesperson said:
“This event is also timed to coincide with World Suicide Prevention Day because of Princess Irene’s tragic death, which was widely reported in the press almost a century ago.
“Princess Irene’s story also shows how far things have moved on — in 1926 suicide was still a crime and it was only decriminalised in 1961. Both mental health and law have evolved a long way since then.
“She was the last legitimate child of the Sikh royal family, born in exile to Maharajah Duleep Singh, the deposed ruler of Punjab’s Sikh Kingdom.
“The talk has been chosen as a spotlight event out of 5,800 taking place nationwide and was highlighted by the initiative’s youth panel as one of their special picks.
“Timed to coincide with World Suicide Prevention Day and supported by Samaritans volunteers, the event reflects on her tragic story and how attitudes to mental health and law have changed over the past century.”
For more details, visit the Heritage Open Days website.
