The recent unanimous ruling by India's Supreme Court to decriminalise gay sex in a country of 1.3 billion people was particularly poignant for one man.

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Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil, 52, heir to the throne of Rajpipla in western Gujarat state, is India's openly gay prince. He campaigned tirelessly — often at personal cost — to repeal Section 377, a 160-year-old British colonial law.

When the prince came out as gay, his parents disowned him. His dad disinherited him and he was kicked out of the palace. His mum took out a newspaper advertisement encouraging the state to ostracise him. Effigies of him were burnt in the streets.

But today, he couldn't be happier. To celebrate, he "hugged all my Foundation staff" — LGBTQI charity the Lakshya Trust. "We'd ordered a cake with '377' on it. We crossed that out, cut the cake and danced!"

As I congratulate him, I confess I've never before spoken to a prince and ask how to address him — "Your Highness" is the response, but it's the only time there's even the faintest semblance of haughtiness.

'For 4 short years, we experienced freedom in India'

Prince Manvendra was instrumental in the initial Delhi High Court judgement of 2009, which decriminalised gay sex.

But this was overturned in 2013 by the Supreme Court. "For those four short years, LGBTQI people experienced freedom in India," he says.

The prince realised he needed to ramp up his campaigning — and to inspire him to do that, he drew upon advice given to him by an Australian expert: Justice Michael Kirby.

"His contribution towards the verdict in India helped LGBTQI people get our ultimate freedom," the prince says.

Sorry, this video has expired India's supreme court strikes down gay sex ban

'Leading example' of what LGBTQI people can contribute

Prince Manvendra realised he had much in common with Australia's longest-serving judge, who requested to meet the Prince.

"I'm first gay Prince and he was the first [openly] gay judge," Prince Manvendra says. "When we met, it was exciting to share our historic coming out experiences.

"But I also knew his global judicial advocacy would be very helpful for India."

The pair first met a temple in Mumbai.

"I'd read about Prince Manvendra," says Justice Kirby. "His courageousness to not masquerade his sexuality, despite family difficulties, is a leading example of what LGBTQI people can contribute to a diverse, multi-faith society.

"He's not just focused on himself, but on the ordinary Indian citizens."

Michael Kirby, former High Court justice, photographed at ABC Perth. (file image) ( 720 ABC Perth: Emma Wynne )

The admiration was mutual.

"I was very humbled he travelled by local train to see me," says Prince Manvendra.

Whilst bumping along in a tuk tuk to the "unusual temple", Justice Kirby offered some pearls of advice.

"He told me: 'You're from a royal family, you have power and influence over people in society'," says Prince Manvendra.

"You're the best person to do this advocacy — which I did — with lawyers, medical practitioners, educational institutions, media and politicians."

Australian influence on Indian law

The prince says Justice Kirby's advocacy in India has had a lasting impact.

"Someone of his background can really influence people. He met our party leaders [to discuss repealing Section 377] — that in itself takes courage and commitment."

Justice Kirby returned from India a fortnight ago having received an honorary degree from the National Law School of India Odisha, conferred by India's Chief Justice.

"In my acceptance speech, I mentioned the need to return to the [2009] wisdom of the Delhi High Court," Justice Kirby says.

"So I'm delighted that has now happened."

Prince Manvendra has tirelessly campaigned for LGBTQI rights in India. ( Supplied )

'I had no relationship with my mother'

As a child, Prince Manvendra had a "22-man army" of servants. But he wasn't allowed to go to bars or parties beyond the palace, or make friends outside of his "warrior" caste. Entire palaces were split by gender. His companions were his boy servants.

Affection from his biological mother was rare.

"I think it happens in most royal families. They give birth to you and then the servants take over. I had no relationship with my mother — I thought my nanny was my actual mother for years."

Aged 25, he entered into an arranged marriage which ended after 15 months. His ex-wife re-married and "seems happy" now, although they're not in touch.

One of the objectives of his Foundation is to support women whose husbands come out: "They often get forgotten," he says.

The given reason for divorce was impotency. "It's a common misconception in India that gay men are just impotent men," he says.

His mother rebuffed the blight to the family's reputation by making him undergo a medical test, which "proved" he wasn't impotent.

He describes the effigy burning when he came out as "very hurtful."

"The same people who'd kissed my feet, treated me like a God, were calling for me to be stripped of my title," he says.

"My ancestors have been respected for centuries for what they did for the Princely state — I'm very proud of that; I didn't want to bring shame on them.

"I don't blame these people. I blame their ignorance — because in their place, I'd have done the same."

When Prince Manvendra came out as gay, Indian people burned effigies of him in the streets. ( Supplied )

Oprah appearance helped change attitudes

A major turning point came when he was invited to tell his story on Oprah.

"Oprah's very popular among Indians. They starting thinking, if she called me, there must be some substance to my fight. Attitudes started changing," he says.

He's since been on Oprah twice more — "I'm the only Indian to have been on Oprah three times."

In 2009, he joined British reality show The Undercover Princes, where three foreign princes were challenged to "live and date like normal people" in Brighton.

While he didn't find lasting love, he operated a washing machine and vacuum cleaner for the first time and went to his first gay bar.

He casually mentions that "Kim" invited him for lunch last year. That would be Kim Kardashian, for an episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

"India's youth population is the world's largest. And they love that program," he explains.

"If they can hear the Kardashian family relating their experience with Caitlyn Jenner to the social barriers of my coming out, we'd change future social attitudes to LGBT people in India, where most people think we're immoral or paedophiles."

His own sister — the Princess — initially warned people with kids to "stay away from gay people like him", but they've since reconciled and her son runs the prince's Instagram page.

Prince Manvendra is opening a hostel on his palace grounds for LGBT Indians. ( Supplied )

Making his palace an LGBT haven

In January, the prince announced he would transform his palace into an LGBT shelter, throwing open its doors to LGBTQI people shunned by their family like he was.

"I knew [the Supreme court judgment] would result in many gay people coming out, then being rejected by their families, sacked from their jobs, socially boycotted, rendered homeless," he says.

"I'm fortunate — I have a huge 15 acre royal estate which my father, the maharaja, has gifted me, after getting educated about LGBTQI issues. He is the kind of essential straight ally we need."

The LGBT shelter on the palace grounds will be completed in mid 2019 — the prince is just fundraising for the finishing touches. It'll host 25 LGBTQI people who've been ostracised.

Only one person still isn't happy: the prince's mother.

"She initially threatened to stop government funding to my Foundation [for HIV awareness], saying it was doing immoral work," he explains.

"She hates my dad because he supports me. She asks him why he gave me back the royal estate to start 'some centre for these homos.'"

"But she can't do anything to get it back now or stop what I'm determined to do to help these people. I joke that even though she's the queen, I'm the bigger queen!"

Gary Nunn is a freelance writer. Twitter: @garynunn1