A Royal Bond: Gay Princes Celebrate a Decade of Love and Activism

On June 26, at the café of the Open Book community arts center, it was business as usual. Students bent over stacks of books, and the espresso machine hissed, churning out specialty lattes. The ordinariness of the day gave no indication that Indian royalty was just upstairs.

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil of Rajpipla and His Highness Prince deAndre, Duke of Hanumanteshwar, were on the fourth stop of their book tour, celebrating 10 years of their union. Affectionately nicknamed the gay royals, the pair coauthored a memoir titled “A Royal Commitment: Ten Years of Marriage and Activism.” The book documents a decade of love and advocacy with heartfelt honesty. Reflecting on moments of both triumph and disappointment, the royal co-authors recount their journey in writing and conversation as they continue their tour.

Lavender had the unique opportunity to attend their book talk and have an intimate sit-down with the world-renowned activists, talking about love, authenticity and activism.

To celebrate their anniversary, the couple put pen to paper, documenting their most treasured and terrifying experiences over the past decade. Their book narrates their story from their first interaction to the present.

Manvendra is the world’s first openly gay prince and the 39th direct descendant of the historic Gohil dynasty of Rajpipla, a lineage dating back to the 12th century. While Indian dynasties no longer occupy a governmental role, royalty remains firmly rooted in cultural tradition. The former rulers of princely estates remain powerful figures in the community, and most royal families continue to wield significant influence and wealth. Today’s royals are cultural icons, carrying forward their legacies through philanthropy and advocacy.

“Being a member of a royal family comes with a lot of responsibilities,” Manvendra explains.

“Even though we don’t have the power to rule now, we are still respected by our people, so it’s very important that we work for the welfare of the people.”

Like other Indian royals, Manvendra advocates for his people, but because of his sexuality, the crown prince had to forge his own path, making history as the first openly gay royal. His coming out began after a brief, failed marriage to a woman in 2002. A mental breakdown revealed his sexuality to his parents, who forced him into medical and religious conversion therapy. The conversion therapy failed, but his parents insisted that his sexuality remain secret.

In 2007, Manvendra made the courageous decision to come out to a journalist, challenging deep-seated societal norms. The early 2000s were a turning point, and his announcement sparked global controversy, igniting a heated moral debate about sexuality and tradition. The prince was disowned by his family, received violent death threats and an effigy of his likeness was burned in his kingdom.

Those first months after his coming out were especially isolating. He received little support, even from members within the queer community. Nevertheless, the prince endured and approached the backlash with grace and compassion. By the time Manvendra became the royal on everybody’s lips, he understood something about hatred, having quietly grappled with his sexuality for so long.

“When you come from a culture where you have always been told you’re doing something wrong,” Manvendra explains, “we end up with that guilt feeling, and that guilt feeling gives rise to hatred… People who hate themselves are the ones who spread hatred.”

DeAndre agrees, adding, “They don’t want you to live your truth that they [themselves] are not able to live.”

Manvendra’s lived experience allowed him to understand the hostility he was met with, and he also knew how to dissipate it: self-love. Having overcome the inner turmoil himself, he changed hearts and minds with storytelling.

“If you start loving yourself, then you will be able to feel that love is needed,” Manvendra says.

The future once looked bleak, the homophobia showing no signs of letting up, until a surprising ally invited the prince to appear on a talk show: Oprah Winfrey. The segment turned the tide in the prince’s favor, inspiring others to reconsider their homophobic positions. His time on “Oprah” was the first of many pop culture appearances. He appeared on “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” and starred in “Undercover Princes,” his visibility making strides to integrate LGBTQ+ individuals into mainstream culture.

Manvendra’s advocacy work is not limited to pop culture. He founded the Lakshya Trust, a charity benefiting those affected by HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ+ individuals. The prince has become a highly sought-after public speaker and has been an outspoken champion for women’s rights, animal rights and disability justice.

DeAndre comes from very different circumstances than Manvendra. The American-born royal spent much of his life directing his creative energies into fashion, working at Christian Dior.

It was Manvendra’s vibrant fashion that initially caught deAndre’s eye. Connecting online in the early days of social media, they became fast friends. Two years after their first virtual encounter, the American fashionista and the Indian prince met in person in Mumbai. The connection was powerful, their friendship blossoming into something of a magical romance.

In the years following Manvendra’s historic coming out, his family learned to embrace his sexuality. With the blessing of the royal family, deAndre and Manvendra were married in 2013.

The princes have spent the decade since their union dedicating their lives to advocating for marginalized groups all over the world.

“What’s really beautiful is that we’re in every part of every community… You cannot have any society that we are not present in some form,” deAndre says.

Their activism is guided by the “wisdom of love.” While their stories differ greatly, they are rooted in the same core values. The two are deeply spiritual and take time each day to connect with the soul. They remain grounded in their bond and the belief that the best way to meet hatred is with love — even if someone is not ready to receive it.

“We are all souls having the human experience,” both princes expressed.

“The great thing about love is that I don’t need your permission to give it to you,” deAndre says.

The couple attributes their resilience to meditation. By turning inwards and focusing on the soul, they tap into the infinite resource of self-love.

“You won’t have to be looking for love, you will know that you are the power of love and that source is enough for me to give to so many other people.”

Manvendra and deAndre are generous with their love, extending authentic affection to everyone they encounter, spreading the message of acceptance as far as they can reach — from LGBTQ+ rights groups in Russia to Quakers in Minnesota.

The tenderness with which they greet the world is well-known, but an intimate sit-down with the royal couple unveiled how that love takes shape within their relationship. People often ask how they sustain their relationship in the face of challenges.

Along with meditating together, it’s about caring for each other in mundane and simple ways.

They incorporate authentic expressions of love into their daily routine.

“It’s the small, small things which help you care for each other. That’s what life is about,” Manvendra says. “[deAndre] knows I like coffee, so he makes me the best coffee. Now I’ll be gone, and I’ll manage to make coffee, but not as good as him,” he says with a smile.

“I always tell people he decides what I have to wear and what I have to eat… so one part of my routine is taken care of.”

Their affection was palpable, evident in subtle touches and knowing glances.

The royal couple show no signs of slowing down, and their already impressive list of accolades continues to grow. They hope to continue sharing their lived experience to connect with others. The world still has a long way to go, and the princes hope that in telling their story, they can help propel the world toward positive change.

The co-authors hoped to conclude their memoir with triumphant news. The Indian Supreme Court was set to rule on same-sex marriage. In a devastating blow, the court unanimously voted to reject same-sex unions. Manvendra and deAndre’s marriage remains legally unrecognized, and deAndre will not be granted a spousal visa.

“It was painful but also revealing, and it told us how far we must go,” deAndre reflects.

“The memoir is a love letter to every queer, Indigenous and marginalized soul — that we are sacred and that we must keep going.”