SIKHS from all over the world will make a pilgrimage to a small Christian church in Perthshire next month to celebrate the life of an infant prince, thought to be the first Sikh born in Britain.

The young Indian prince – son of the last Maharajah of the Sikh Empire in India, Duleep Singh – only lived for 24 hours and died un-named, but his resting place, at Kenmore Parish Church, has since become a place of historical significance.

Duleep Singh was a close friend of Queen Victoria and is considered Britain's first Sikh settler.

On July 4, 1865, his wife Bamba gave birth to their first son.

Tragically, the infant died the day after his birth.

He was buried in Kenmore churchyard, because Duleep converted to Christianity after he went into exile following the conclusion of the second Anglo Sikh war.

All of Duleep Singh's eight children died without having children themselves, ending the direct line of Sikh Royalty.