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Jungle Prince

The New York Times

For 40 years, journalists chronicled the eccentric royal family of Oudh, deposed aristocrats who lived in a ruined palace in the Indian capital. It was a tragic, astonishing story. But was it true? Soon, you’ll need a subscription to keep full access to this show, and to other New York Times podcasts, on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Don’t miss out on exploring all of our shows, featuring everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts. read less

Our Editor's Take

Once upon a time, in a palace deep in the jungle of Delhi, India, there lived a prince, a princess, and a queen. The intriguing story of this mysterious and reclusive family is the focus of The Jungle Prince podcast. The three-part miniseries investigates Oudh's "lost" royal family. Oudh was a princely state in North India before the British colonized India and annexed it. For many years, rumors abounded about the descendants of the former king. Many claimed they had become recluses after the British deposed them. The podcast derives from a 2019 New York Times exposé, "The Jungle Prince of Delhi."

Ellen Barry, who wrote that piece, is the host of The Jungle Prince podcast. She is a former New York Times Delhi bureau chief. Barry was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2020 for this article. In 2016, during her time as bureau chief, she came across the moving story of the so-called Jungle Prince. Intrigued by the incredible story, she began researching the history of the family.

The Jungle Prince podcast chronicles Ellen's findings. Her goal was simple. Was there any truth in the legend of the Prince of the Jungle? Determined to discover the truth about the tragic royal family, Ellen went on a quest. What she found in her investigation was far more than she expected.

The host's doggedness and interviews with locals reveal the truth behind the legend. The podcast encapsulates incredible deception, impersonation, and tragedy. Was there indeed a crumbling palace in the jungle manned by a belligerent prince? Is the Jungle Prince of Delhi a fact or an elaborate fabrication? Will Ellen find an intriguing true story, or will she find lies? Listeners can hear the whole story on The Jungle Prince podcast.

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Society & CultureSociety & Culture
Start Here
The Railway Station
23-12-2019
The Railway Station
The story passed for years from tea sellers to rickshaw drivers to shopkeepers in Old Delhi. In a forest, they said, in a palace cut off from the city, lived a prince, a princess and a queen, said to be the last of a Shiite Muslim royal line. Some said the family had been there since the British had annexed their kingdom. Others said they were supernatural beings.It was a stunning and tragic story. But was it real? On a spring afternoon, while on assignment in India, Ellen Barry got a phone call that sent her looking for the truth.In Chapter 1, we hear of a woman who appeared on the platform of the New Delhi railway station with her two adult children, declaring they were the descendants of the royal family of Oudh. She said they would not leave until what was theirs had been restored. So they settled in and waited — for nearly a decade. Soon, you’ll need a subscription to keep full access to this show, and to other New York Times podcasts, on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Don’t miss out on exploring all of our shows, featuring everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts.

Episodes

The Railway Station
23-12-2019
The Railway Station
The story passed for years from tea sellers to rickshaw drivers to shopkeepers in Old Delhi. In a forest, they said, in a palace cut off from the city, lived a prince, a princess and a queen, said to be the last of a Shiite Muslim royal line. Some said the family had been there since the British had annexed their kingdom. Others said they were supernatural beings.It was a stunning and tragic story. But was it real? On a spring afternoon, while on assignment in India, Ellen Barry got a phone call that sent her looking for the truth.In Chapter 1, we hear of a woman who appeared on the platform of the New Delhi railway station with her two adult children, declaring they were the descendants of the royal family of Oudh. She said they would not leave until what was theirs had been restored. So they settled in and waited — for nearly a decade. Soon, you’ll need a subscription to keep full access to this show, and to other New York Times podcasts, on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Don’t miss out on exploring all of our shows, featuring everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts.
The Hunting Lodge
23-12-2019
The Hunting Lodge
“Ellen, have you been trying to get in touch with the royal family of Oudh?” Our reporter receives an invitation to the forest. Soon, you’ll need a subscription to keep full access to this show, and to other New York Times podcasts, on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Don’t miss out on exploring all of our shows, featuring everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts.
A House in Yorkshire
23-12-2019
A House in Yorkshire
In a ruined palace in the woods, rummaging through discarded papers, our reporter finds a clue. Soon, you’ll need a subscription to keep full access to this show, and to other New York Times podcasts, on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Don’t miss out on exploring all of our shows, featuring everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts.