Passage to India

I have just been reading in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography about the Badaranaika family in Sri Lanka.  In 1981 we went to stay at a hotel in Mahabalipuram near Madras in India. A charming hotel near the sea where just previously the English Test Cricket team had been relaxing between matches.
One of the waiters became very friendly with me and took me to see the room where Prince Charles had slept, also Mrs. Bandaranaika, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka although he hastened to assure me not at the same time.  So I can claim that I once sat on Prince Charles' bed.
The next year on another memorable trip to Sri Lanka, Goa India and the Maldives we stayed at the Summer Palace of the Maharajah of Mysore now turned into a very swish hotel.   To our astonishment we were welcomed as old friends by our waiter from Mahabalipuram.    This time he took me upstairs to see the splendour of the Maharajah's bedroom.  A large ornate colourful room with beautiful hangings and gilded furniture.   He said "This is the King's room".  He then took me next door to a slightly smaller but no less ornate room.  He said "And this is Mrs. King's room".