Brighton’s Royal Pavilion: Britain’s love affair with Indian palace design

Brighton’s Royal Pavilion is an 18th‑century palace built for British royals enamored with South Asian design, showcasing Mughal arches and onion domes as a cultural exchange that mirrored Britain’s imperial ties to India. Queen Victoria stayed there in the 1830s–40s; during WWI it served as a military hospital with kitchens mindful of caste and Muslim soldiers praying toward Mecca on the east lawn. Today, after restoration of its gardens and other changes, the pavilion operates as a museum open to the public, reflecting a long, shared history of architectural influence between Britain and India.