Car dowry for the Maharajah’s daughter in India 1925

This 1925 model, which appeared in the Cartier Style et Luxe show at Goodwood Festival of Speed last week, was originally built for the Maharajah of Bharatpur – and there is quite a story behind it. Intended as a dowry for the Maharajah’s daughter, it was never collected by her husband, so the Maharajah had an unusual use for it: tiger hunting, which explains the huge spotlight. The vehicle also has a connection to British royalty, as in 1965 the Duke of Edinburgh rode in it to visit a bird sanctuary close to the Maharajah’s palace. The bodywork by Windover of London is so heavy for the chassis that Rolls-Royce refused to issue a guarantee for the car, now restored and privately owned in the UK.