We know a version of royal life from films: grand entrances, elaborate jewels, palace intrigue, and impeccable manners. For Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh of Jaipur, better known as Pacho, there is much more to the story.Ask him about style and the conversation might take you back a century, to when Indian men wore jewellery with considerably more flair. Ask him about royal life, and he’ll reveal it isn’t as cinematic as the films make it seem.This Gen Z maharaja is a brilliant polo player, a Met Gala debutant, and someone whose camera roll offers a different glimpse of royal life, with photographs of his dog Marcel sitting alongside maps of museums, airports and other spaces.In conversation with The Indian Express, Pacho opens up about personal style, natural diamonds, his love for polo, the assumptions that come with being a Gen Z maharaja and the man beyond the public image.Q: Rajasthani men have never really been shy of accessories. Look at old portraits of royals and you’ll see statement safas, pearls, brooches. Do you think the fashion world is only now catching up with something that has come naturally to Indian men? Image Courtesy: Instagram/pachojaipur)Pacho: In Rajasthan, jewellery and accessories have always been a natural part of the way men dressed, particularly for formal and ceremonial occasions. If you look at old portraits, a safa (turban) with a sarpech (turban ornament), strands of pearls or a brooch set with diamonds were simply part of the complete look.Natural diamonds have always had a particular significance because of their rarity and timelessness, and many of these pieces carried a history of their own and were passed down through generations. I think what is interesting today is seeing men become more comfortable with jewellery again, but interpreting it in a way that feels more contemporary and personal.Story continues below this adQ: Do you feel that men were actually more adventurous with clothes and jewellery a 100 years ago than now?Pacho: I do think that men were more fearless with the way they dressed 100 years ago, particularly within royal and high society circles. There was a real confidence in wearing elaborate pieces, from sarpechs and multi-strand gemstone necklaces to natural diamond brooches.Today, the approach is quite different. Men are beginning to experiment with jewellery again, but in a much more relaxed way, whether it is a tennis necklace worn casually or solitaire earrings. I think it is interesting to see that sense of individuality returning.Q: What’s the one thing about contemporary men’s fashion that you find most interesting? And one that just doesn’t make sense?Story continues below this adPacho: What I find most interesting is that men are much more open to experimenting with their personal style now. There are fewer rules around what is considered formal or casual, and you see people mixing tailoring, athleisure and jewellery in a way that feels quite individual. What makes less sense to me is when something is worn purely because it is a trend. I think style is always more interesting when it feels natural to the individual.Q: This was your first time at the Met Gala. What surprised you the most? View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sawai Padmanabh Singh (@pachojaipur) Pacho: It was a very special experience, particularly as it was my debut Met Gala. It is something you have seen and heard so much about over the years, so actually being there was quite surreal. What surprised me most was how much happens beyond what you see in photographs. There is an incredible amount of detail that goes into the evening, and it was interesting to see everyone’s interpretation of the theme come together in person.Q: Besides an impeccable sense of fashion, you’ve also become synonymous with polo, with many victories and titles to your name. What’s one thing that fascinates you about the sport? And what has it taught you about yourself that nothing else could?Pacho: What fascinates me most about polo is how much is happening at once. You have to understand your horses, read the game and make decisions very quickly, and no two matches ever feel the same. I’ve been playing from a young age, and the sport has taught me a great deal about patience and staying composed under pressure. It has also taught me that there is always something to improve, however well you think you have played.Story continues below this adQ: How do you train your body for the sport? What does your fitness routine look like?Pacho: Polo is physically demanding, so fitness is an important part of being able to play consistently. A lot of the conditioning also comes naturally from spending time on horseback and playing regularly. You need strength and endurance, but also balance and agility because you are constantly adjusting to the movement of the horse. My fitness routine is a combination of strength training and mobility work, alongside regular riding and practice on the field. Pacho is a competitive player since 2015 and is also the former captain of the Indian National Polo Team (Image: Instagram/pachojaipur)Q: What do your mornings look like? Do you have any rituals you’re attached to?Pacho: My mornings depend on where I am and what I have going on that day, so I wouldn’t say I have a very fixed routine. I do like starting the day relatively early and having a little time before everything gets busy. I’m not particularly attached to any one ritual, but I enjoy that quieter part of the morning when I can.Story continues below this adQ: What does it feel like being a Gen Z Maharaja? Do you ever find yourself caught between a very old world and a very online, very contemporary one?Pacho: I don’t really see the two as being in conflict. I grew up surrounded by history and traditions, but at the same time I’ve grown up like anyone else of my generation, with technology, social media and a much more connected world. There are certain traditions and responsibilities that are important to preserve, but I also think it is important to move with the times. It is really about finding a balance between the two without feeling that you have to choose one over the other. Pacho’s personal style is as distinctive as his royal heritage. (Image: Instagram/pachojaipur)Q: People have always been fascinated with royal lives. When you were growing up and reading or watching royals portrayed in films, did you ever find yourself thinking, ‘That’s not quite what it’s actually like’?Pacho: Definitely. Films and books naturally focus on the more glamorous or dramatic side of royal life, because that is what makes a good story. Growing up, my experience of it was much more normal. Of course, you are surrounded by history and traditions, but there are also responsibilities that come with that.Story continues below this adI think what people see from the outside is often only one part of it. For me, it has always just been the environment I grew up in, so you don’t really think of it in the way it might be portrayed on screen.Q: What is the one thing on your phone that would surprise people the most?Pacho: Probably the number of photographs and videos of my dog Marcel, but also pictures of maps. I have a strange obsession with maps and layouts of spaces—museums, airports, all sorts of places. Anyone who knows me well probably wouldn’t be surprised by the Marcel pictures, but the maps might be a little less expected.Also Read | ‘I buy and send him the bill’: Bhavana and Chunky Pandey on 29 years and modern loveQ: What does your Instagram feed look like? Is it mostly polo, fashion and heritage, or does the algorithm know a different version of you?Story continues below this ad If you browse through Pacho’s phone, you’ll find an impressive number of photographs and videos of his dog Marcel! (Image: Instagram/pachojaipur)Pacho: There is definitely a lot of polo and horses. But it is quite a mix beyond that, from travel to fashion, food and things friends send me. I’m not sure the algorithm has figured me out completely yet, which is probably a good thing.Q: People say chivalry is dead. Do you agree?Pacho: I don’t think chivalry is dead, I think it has simply changed. For me, it is less about grand gestures and more about being thoughtful and considerate of the person you are with.Q: If there’s one piece of jewellery you prefer wearing every day, what would it be?Pacho: I tend to prefer understated pieces, so I would choose a simple natural diamond tennis necklace or a pair of solitaire earrings. Both feel just as right for everyday wear as they do for a more formal occasion.Story continues below this adQ: As someone who has grown up around India’s rich jewellery heritage, what do you think makes a natural diamond so timeless? How does it fit with how the younger generation approaches jewellery today?Pacho: What makes a natural diamond timeless to me is that each one is unique. That rarity gives it a character of its own, which is part of why people continue to treasure them over time. I think younger people are drawn to jewellery they can wear in their own way, whether it’s a piece passed down through the family or something they’ve chosen for themselves.