The world’s only openly gay monarch, His Royal Highness Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil of Gujurat, India, held Lakshya’s, his Charitable Trust, First Annual Fundraising Extravaganza at Pranna Restaurant in NYC last night.
His Royal Highness spoke exclusively to GlobalGrind about his charity work, being in New York and his fight against HIV/AIDS and homophobia worldwide.
“I started this foundation in the year 2000 and the main idea was to create a platform for the gay community so they could come together and share,” Prince Manvendra, 44, said, “to discuss the problems which they are facing in society in regards to marriage pressures, police harrassment, social issues, legal issues.”
If the Prince seems familiar, it’s because he made two appearances on Oprah in five years: first on a show focusing on gays around the world where he discussed his struggles with his family’s ostracism (they tried to disown him, his effigy was burned in the street by his subjects) after they discovered he was gay. Secondly, the Prince appeared on a follow up story about how ‘coming out’ has changed and enriched his and other gay people’s lives in India.
British readers of GlobalGrind may also recognize his Royal Highness because he participated in “Undercover Princes,” a reality show produced by the BBC in 2008, featuring three princes in search of love: two straight and one gay.
Last night, dressed in a stunning feathered turban, fine jewels and even finer threads, His Royal Highness explained over the din of music and chatter in the restaurant, what it was like visiting New York for the first time as a tourist in the 1970s.
“I came here 35 years ago in 1976 as a tourist. I was very small and young that time. It was more of a tourist visit so nothing much official was done there,” Prince Manvendra explained.
Asked if he knew if he was gay at the time, His Royal Highness said, “I had no clue I was gay. I thought I was straight. And now, of course, I am confirmed I am gay.”
More photos of Prince Manvendra after the break!
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Prince Manvendra.
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Detail of Prince Manvendra’s jewels.
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Prince Manvendra.
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Prince Manvendra
