Ella Atherton

Ella Atherton (11 September 1905 – May 1995) was a Scottish-born actress who married an Indian maharaja. After marriage in 1940, she was also known as Ila Devi Rajpipla; Maharani Ella Devi of Rajpipla or H.H. Maharani Ella Devi Sahiba.

Early life[]

Atherton was born in Edinburgh under the name of Ella Anderson.

Atherton was her chosen stage name and immigration records to the United States and the Far East indicate that her younger sister Effie,^[1] who was born as Euphemia Walker Anderson in Edinburgh on 3 July 1907, also took on the Atherton name, becoming Effie Atherton.^[2][3][4]

Career[]

Atherton was a silent movie actress, known for her roles in The First Born (1928)^[5] and Human Cargo (1929).^[6] She was also a successful model. After she married an Indian prince, she abandoned her acting career to pursue other interests, including tiger hunting.^[7]

Personal[]

Indrajit-Padmini Mahal, one of Ella Devi Rajpipla's homes in India.

Atherton married Maharana Shri Sir  [it],^[8] Maharaja of Rajpipla,^[9] on 5 January 1940. He was a socialite, race horse owner (owner of Windsor Lad) and an accomplished polo player. She was his third wife. He received a knighthood from King George V in the 1925 New Year Honours. Atherton referred to him as ‘Pip’. They had a son and a daughter together, both born in England.^{[citation needed]}

The couple had numerous homes, including the Indrajit-Padmini Mahal, or Vadia Palace, where they lived between the years 1934 and 1939. After Indian independence, she retired with her husband to a mansion on Church Road, Old Windsor, in Berkshire. Her husband died there in 1951. She died in May 1995, aged 89 years, in Surrey.

References[]

Further reading[]

• Ewan, E., Innes, S., Reynolds, S., & Pipes, R. (Eds.). (2007). The Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Women: From the Earliest Times to 2004. Edinburgh University Press.

External links[]

• A 1930 photograph of Ella Atherton, at Getty Images.
• Ella Atherton at IMDb