Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip participated in a controversial tiger hunt in Ranthambore, India, in January 1961, during their first state visit to the independent nation. The hunt was organized by Sawai Man Singh II, the Maharaja of Jaipur, and drew significant backlash from British and Indian media due to the use of a tethered buffalo as bait.
Key Details of the Hunt
The Kill: Prince Philip shot a large male tiger (reported as 9ft 8in) from a tree-top platform (machan), while the Queen watched. She declined to shoot, stating a monarch should not make the kill.
Aftermath: The tiger’s skin was stuffed and shipped to Windsor Castle. The incident occurred while the Duke of Edinburgh was simultaneously establishing the World Wildlife Fund, leading to accusations of hypocrisy.
Political Controversy: Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had refused the Queen’s request to use a calf as bait, allowing only a buffalo, and expressed displeasure with the "choreographed" nature of the shoot.
Public Reaction: British newspapers like the Daily Mirror criticized the hunt as "unsporting" and archaic, viewing it as a relic of the Raj era that clashed with modern conservation views.
Following this incident, Prince Philip largely ceased big-game hunting, though he defended it as "culling" at the time. The hunt remains one of the most discussed episodes of the Queen’s 1961 tour, which otherwise included visits to the Taj Mahal and Republic Day celebrations.
