English: Photograph of the Lily Throne in the Royal Palace at Mandalay, taken by Philip Adolphe Klier in the 1890s. Mandalay was founded in 1857 by King Mindon Min (ruled 1853-78) and became Burma’s last great royal capital. The Lily Throne was one of eight in the Palace. It stood in the Anauk Samok hall in the area occupied by the Chief Queen and other female members of the royal family where the King and the Chief Queen held audiences. In 1885, Mandalay was annexed by the British Empire as part of the occupation of Upper Burma and the Burmese monarchy was exiled to India. During the occupation this part of the Palace was taken over as the premises of the Upper Burma Club. The hall in which the Lily Throne stands was used as the Ladies' Reading Room. This is a view from the entrance looking along the throne room between teak pillars towards the throne. The potted plants would have been placed in the room by the British.