Princess Sita Devi of Pithapuram (formerly known as “Queen of Baroda”) (2 May 1917 – 15 February 1989)[1] was known as the "Indian Wallis Simpson".
Sita Devi was the daughter of the Maharaja of Pithapuram – Sri Raja Rao Venkata Kumara Mahipati Surya Rau Bahadur Garu and his wife Sri Rani Chinnamamba Devi (of Kapileswarapuram, Nuzvid Zamindari).
Sita Devi first married Meka Rangaiah Appa Rao Bahadur, Zamindar of Vuyyuru.
The lawyers recommended that the Hindu Sita Devi convert to Islam to dissolve her marriage to the Zamindar under Indian law.
The British government accepted the marriage, but did not refer to the Maharani as "Her Highness" as was the protocol for the consorts of rulers of princely states.
[2] The princely couple transferred a copious amount from the Baroda treasury, including some of its most famous jewellery, including four celebrated pearl carpets,[4] a famed seven-strand necklace of priceless pearls (called the Baroda pearls), a three-strand diamond necklace with the famous Pink Brazilian Star of the South 128.80-carat (25.760 g) diamond and the English Dresden 78.53-carat (15.706 g) diamond.
When Baroda was integrated into the newly independent India, Indian officials were eventually able to recover some of the items, but some of the jewels had been transferred to the Maharani's ownership.
[citation needed] In 1965, she purchased a painting in Paris from Daniel Wildenstein, believing it to be La Poésie by François Boucher.
The case, Maharanee of Baroda v Wildenstein, established an important rule regarding the presence of a defendant in conflict of laws.
[citation needed] Eventually, India, due to the discrepancies and possible fraud, deposed the Gaekwad in 1951 and his eldest son by his first wife succeeded him.
The jeweller set these stones into a spectacular necklace that was bought by the Wallis, Duchess of Windsor.
At the 1969 Ascot Gold Cup she invited guests to touch the 30-carat (6.0 g) sapphire on her right hand for good luck.
She continued to live in grand style, drinking Baron de Rothschild's Bordeaux, rearranging her Louis XVI furniture and attending exclusive parties.
When travelling she brought along a large wardrobe, reported to be a thousand saris, hundreds of pairs of shoes and of course her jewellery.