page_title: Charles Henry de Soysa
section_title: Royal banquet
hierarchical_section_title: Charles Henry de Soysa / Royal banquet
context_page_description: Charles Henry de Soysa, JP was a Ceylonese entrepreneur and philanthropist. He was a pioneering planter, industrialist and was the wealthiest Ceylonese of the 19th century. He was instrumental in the establishment of the first Ceylonese bank, the Moratuwa carpenters guild, the Ceylon Agricultural and National Associations. He is widely regarded as the greatest philanthropist of the island for contributions which includes the De Soysa Maternity Hospital, the Prince and Princess of Wales Colleges, St. Matthias Church, the Model Farm Experimental Station and many other institutions and acts of charity, establishing infant-maternal healthcare and secular education for girls in the country. He was the country's first Knight Bachelor.
context_section_description: De Soysa was accorded the unique privilege of being invited to hold a reception on behalf of the people of Ceylon for Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh who was the first member of British Royalty to visit the Island. This he did in royal style at his palatial mansion in Colombo Bagatelle walauwa, (later renamed Alfred House) which had been specially reconstructed for the occasion in a sprawling park of 120 acres. De Soysa entertained the Prince where the crockery and cutlery of the banquet was made of  gold and studded with gems and pearls. De Soysa extended the invitation to the elites as well as the commoners from all communities. Consequent to this event H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh hosted a reception to the De Soysas (at Queen's House, Colombo) and conferred the title of Gate Mudaliyar (Wasala Mudaliyar) on Susew de Soysa and of Justice of the Peace for the Island on Charles Henry de Soysa (the latter had declined the title of Mudaliyar).
caption: Charles Henry de Soysa residence in Colombo Alfred House.
exif: {}