Princes of Natore

The family is the current holder of the Princely estate, descendants of the Mughal dynasty, and held the hereditary courtier position for the Dighapatia Kings. Today members hold parliamentary and Military positions at home and abroad. Earlier members patronized arts and sciences in British India and later protested for the partition of 1947 and fought for the Bangladesh Liberation War.

After the monarchy was abolished, they became landlords or zamindars, and not princes. Titles became surnames, and offices were lost. Only two residences survived the wear and tear of time the 1874 palace at Temock and the 1902 fort at Shercole. Three schools and a college is named after 19th century members of the family, namely Gul-e-Afroze and Gulbodon Begum. The street connecting the main city of the Rajshahi district to Natore, was named after Jalaluddin Mirza.

Todsay, the family lives in the UK, and US, and some in Bangladesh, and had in their possessions furnitures of the 18 century, scripts, books, coins from the old reign and pictures of former ruling members of the Royal family, which are today in museums around the world. The former Deputy Commander of UN peace corps mission, Colonel Muhhamad Sarwar Azam Shahjahan is the current Heir to the estate.

Former ruling princes includes:

* Crown Prince Mirza Nali
* Jalaluddin Mirza , grandson of Emperor Akbar Shah II
* Mirza Zafar

After the Partition of 1947

* Gulbodon Begum
* Muhammad Shahid Sarwar Azam, Colonel, FIEB, Bsc

References

* Natore Listings, 1989
* Rajbarir Raj bonsho