In 1838, Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab, one of India's greatest rulers, died and his vast empire was plunged in chaos, Less than a decade later, weakened by internecine rivalry and intrigue.

Punjab fell into the waiting hands of the British. The ruler who signed away the kingdom and its treasures, including the famed Koh-I-Noor diamond, was an eleven year old boy, Duleep Singh, the youngest of Ranjit Singh acknowledged sons.

In this nuanced and poignant novel that draws upon true events, Navtej Sarna tells the unusual story of the last Maharaja of Punjab. As the British annexed his kingdom, Duleep was separated from his mother and his people, taken under British guardianship and converted to Christianity.

At sixteen he was transported to England to live the life of a country squire !!!