She was a princess, a Cambridge-trained lawyer, the first Black woman on the pages of Harper's Bazaar, a foreign minister under one of Africa's most feared dictators — and she said NO when that dictator demanded she marry him. This week on Women and Resistance, we tell the full, extraordinary, and largely untold story of Princess Elizabeth Bagaaya Akiiki of Tooro.

Born in 1936 into the ancient Tooro Kingdom of what is now Uganda, Princess Elizabeth navigated colonial education systems, broke racial barriers at Cambridge and Gray's Inn, survived Idi Amin's regime, fled into exile disguised as a village girl, won landmark libel cases in the British press, walked the runways of New York and London as one of the world's first Black supermodels, and returned home to serve her continent as a diplomat and guardian of her people's culture.

Her life is not just a biography — it is a thesis on what African women's resistance looks like across decades of colonial erasure, post-independence political upheaval, patriarchal power, and the relentless weaponisation of beauty against Black excellence.

This in-depth conversation with Elizabeth of Toro, a Ugandan princess, lawyer, and diplomat, shares her extraordinary life story, cultural heritage, and insights on African history, colonialism, and resilience.

Takeaways

*History of Toro Kingdom and African kingdoms
*Colonialism and its impact on Africa
*The role of women in African leadership and resistance
*Personal journey of Elizabeth of Toro from princess to diplomat
*Cultural preservation and revival in Africa

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Princess Elizabeth of Toro
01:39 Growing Up in the Kingdom of Toro
04:28 Cultural Heritage and Identity
08:24 Education and Challenges Abroad
13:44 Historical Context of the Kingdom of Toro
19:30 Colonial Influences and Transformations
28:21 The Role of Women in Leadership
35:16 Reflections on Independence and Legacy
36:19 The Impact of Colonialism on Traditional Societies
38:45 Navigating Exile and Identity
41:47 Modelling as a Means of Survival
43:47 The Rise and Fall of Political Power
47:15 The Role of Women in Politics
52:34 Facing Adversity and Resilience
57:27 Love and Loss in Turbulent Times
01:00:49 Restoration and Legacy
01:03:14 Lessons in Identity and Courage

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