November 21, 2024 | Sarah Ng

The Stolen Princess In Queen Victoria's Court


She Has One Of The Wildest Stories In History

Given to Queen Victoria as a “gift,” Sarah Forbes Bonetta met a fate that nobody saw coming. This is the incredible story of how an African princess ended up in Queen Victoria's court.Sara-Msn

She Had A Terrifying Start In Life

Before she became famously known as Queen Victoria's goddaughter, Sarah Forbes Bonetta had a very different name and life. Born as Aina in 1843, her unbelievable true story is rooted in the West African village Oke-Odan—an area that we know today as southwest Nigeria. However, her childhood was filled with danger and terror.

Portrait of Sara Forbes Bonetta in white dressCamille Silvy, Wikimedia Commons

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She Had Enemies

At the tender age of five, Aina learned about the horrors of life in the most distressing ways. The Kingdom of Dahomey was one of her people's longtime enemies—and when its armies began encroaching on their territory, a real tragedy came to pass.

Sara Forbes Bonetta By Frederick E. ForbesFrederick E. Forbes, Wikimedia Commons

She Became An Orphan

The Kingdom of Dahomey's armies targeted Aina's village—and the ensuing massacre changed the little girl's life forever. Sadly, in the wake of the invasions, Aina made a harrowing realization: She had lost both of her parents. But this was only the beginning.

DahomeyUnknown Author, Wikimedia Commons

She Lost Her Community

Not only did Aina lose her parents, but she also lost her entire community. Most of the other villagers also perished at the hands of Dahomey—and those who managed to survive faced a brutal fate. 

"building" in  in the Yoruba countryAnna Hinderer, Wikimedia Commons

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Fate Had A Terrible Plan In Store For Her

With their lives completely ripped out from under them, most of the remaining residents found themselves trapped in the Atlantic slave trade. Aina herself had a chilling road ahead of her.

A Liverpool Slave ShipMerseyside Maritime Museum, Wikimedia Commons

She Ended Up In The King's Court

As an enslaved child, Aina's whole world turned upside-down—and the tragic capture of her village led her to the court of King Ghezo of Dahomey. This was a kingdom that grew fat off of the riches provided by the Atlantic slave trade. It seemed that this new reality would become Aina's lot in life—but fate had another twist in store for her.

Ghezo King  and a servantForbes, Frederick E., Wikimedia Commons

The Arrival Of One Man Changed Everything

In 1850, two years later, the arrival of one man changed everything yet again. His name was Captain Frederick E Forbes and he was on a special British mission: He wanted to reach an agreement with King Ghezo, hoping to put an end to the Kingdom of Dahomey's hand in the Atlantic slave trade. But this was easier said than done.

King GhezoFrederick E. Forbes, Wikimedia Commons

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He Wanted To End The Atlantic Slave Trade

Captain Forbes's negotiations with King Ghezo were unbelievably infuriating. It became immensely obvious that Ghezo had no plans to give up his participation in the Atlantic slave trade any time soon. However, it was during one of these meetings that Forbes witnessed an atrocity so disturbing—it would be burned into his mind forever.

Screenshot of the movie The Woman King (2022)TriStar, The Woman King (2022)

He Witnessed A Brutal Tradition

Forbes just happened to be present during some of the Dahomian holiday traditions—but one particular ceremony, called "watering of the graves," made his blood run ice cold.

Dahomey and the DahomansFrederick E. Forbes, Wikimedia Commons

He Couldn't Believe His Eyes

This was no ordinary ceremony—this was an execution ceremony. Forbes watched in abject horror as the intended victims—dressed in white, tied up, and hoisted aloft in baskets—were readied for their gruesome ends.

The reason for this ceremony was equally twisted.

Victims for sacrificeArchibad Dalzel, Wikimedia Commons

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He Couldn't Stand By And Watch It Happen

The intention behind these executions was soon made clear. After the slaying of these captives, their blood would "water" the graves of the elite. When Forbes saw one of the victims lose his head, that was the last straw. He had to do something.

Dahomey kingdom and peopleEdmond Fortier, Wikimedia Commons

He Offered Him Money

Though Forbes did everything in his power to put an end to this demented ceremony, King Ghezo refused to comply with his demands. Desperate, the commander even tried to pay him to stop the executions. Finally, Ghezo offered up a shocking compromise.

Screenshot of the movie The Woman King (2022)TriStar, The Woman King (2022)

He Negotiated To Save Lives

Though the bloodshed could not be stopped, Ghezo did allow Forbes to save at least some of the victims' lives. However, the worst was yet to come.

Screenshot of the movie The Woman King (2022)TriStar, The Woman King (2022)

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One Of The Intended Victims Was A Little Girl

As if things couldn't get any more surreal, Forbes noticed that one of the intended victims was a helpless little girl—none other than Aina herself. The thought of her impending demise baffled him. How could somebody so ruthlessly sacrifice an innocent child? To King Ghezo, however, the answer was obvious.

Screenshot of the short movie Conversations from the Past (2024)Ghost Media, Conversations from the Past (2024)

She Was A Special Sacrifice

Because Aina was an Egbado, she was an enemy of the kingdom. This meant that King Ghezo had no problem spilling her blood. In fact, this would make her an even greater offering to his ancestors.

Screenshot of the tv show Victoria (2016–2019)ITV, Victoria (2016–2019)

She Became A "Gift" To The Queen

Now in utter panic mode, Forbes made a round-about threat, telling the king that Queen Victoria could not support a leader who so willingly slayed a child. This undoubtedly hit home. In response, the king relinquished Aina from death's grasp—instead offering her up as a "gift" for the queen.

Screenshot  of the tv show Victoria (2016–2019)ITV, Victoria (2016–2019)

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She Was Likely An African Princess

Looking at Aina, Forbes felt that he had a very special girl on his hands. Due to the tribal marks decorating her face, he believed that she likely descended from a royal bloodline—this, and the fact that she had been held back from the Atlantic slave trade.

Screenshot  of the tv show Victoria (2016–2019)ITV, Victoria (2016–2019)

He Found Her Interesting

Forbes even penned his observations of Aina in his personal journal: "One of the captives of this dreadful slave-hunt was this interesting girl. It is usual to reserve the best born for the high behests of royalty and the immolation on the tombs of the deceased nobility…"

Screenshot  of the tv show Victoria (2016–2019)ITV, Victoria (2016–2019)

She Had A Second Chance At Life

When the king offered up Aina to Captain Forbes, he willingly took her in the Queen's name. And just like that, her life took a sharp turn in yet another direction. Her next chapter would unfold in a new land: Britain.

Screenshot  of the tv show Victoria (2016–2019)ITV, Victoria (2016–2019)

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She Was Still Wasn't Free

Even though Aina had been whisked away from a terrible place, she still belonged to somebody else. Captain Forbes took it upon himself to give the small girl a new name: Sarah Forbes Bonetta. 

Screenshot  of the tv show Victoria (2016–2019)ITV, Victoria (2016–2019)

She Got A New Name

Obviously, Forbes's new name for Aina—Sarah Forbes Bonetta—drew inspiration from his own name, as well as the name of his ship, the HMS Bonetta. After all, he had originally planned to become Sarah's guardian. But as we'll see, this wasn't to be.

Screenshot  of the tv show Victoria (2016–2019)ITV, Victoria (2016–2019)

She Traveled Around Africa

In the year following her escape from King Ghezo, Sarah took up residence on Forbes's ship, accompanying the commander as he continued his business in Africa. As he observed his new ward, he became quite impressed with her.

Screenshot  of the tv show Victoria (2016–2019)ITV, Victoria (2016–2019)

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She Made A Good Impression

When Forbes finally brought Sarah back to England, he arranged a meeting between the young girl and Queen Victoria. After all, she had been intended as a "gift" for her. In seeking out permission for this audience, Forbes referred to Sarah as "intelligent" and "good tempered".

Screenshot  of the tv show Victoria (2016–2019)ITV, Victoria (2016–2019)

She Met Queen Victoria

Officially meeting Queen Victoria dramatically changed Sarah's life once again. However, in her own way, the little girl changed the queen's life as well. Sarah opened up to the royal leader—and recounted her extraordinary backstory.

Screenshot  of the tv show Victoria (2016–2019)ITV, Victoria (2016–2019)

She Had Lived In A Cage

Sarah did not spare the queen any gory details. She told the story of her life as it truly was—a real-life nightmare. She explained that after being taken captive by the King of Dahomey, she had lived in a tiny cage for two years.

Screenshot  of the tv show Victoria (2016–2019)ITV, Victoria (2016–2019)

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Her Story Touched The Queen

On top of this devastating way of life, Sarah also shared that she knew she was destined to become a sacrifice as well—and had watched as some of her other shackled peers perish during the execution rituals. Her deranged story deeply affected the queen. 

When their meeting finally ended, Queen Victoria made a surprising request.

Screenshot  of the tv show Victoria (2016–2019)ITV, Victoria (2016–2019)

The Queen Wanted A Picture Of Her

So moved by Sarah's story, the queen wanted a photograph of the young girl—and it was photographer John J Mayall who eventually took the young girl's picture. However, the entire experience triggered Sarah in an unforeseen way.

John Jabez Edwin Mayall self-portraitJohn Jabez Edwin Mayall, Wikimedia Commons

She Was Terrified Of Having Her Picture Taken

For one, Mayall was a complete stranger, and Sarah feared his true intentions with her. But that wasn't all. During the photography session, she became deeply afraid of a portrait that she noticed on the wall. 

The subject of the portrait held a sword—and it was this sword that had her shaking and crying out three unforgettable words: "Cut head off!"

Screenshot  of the tv show Victoria (2016–2019)ITV, Victoria (2016–2019)

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She Couldn't Escape Her Past

Tragically, Sarah had seen the sword in the portrait and been immediately reminded of her two-year stay at King Ghezo's court—namely the slaughtering of her fellow enslaved captives. She had to be comforted and reminded that she wasn't in any danger.

Screenshot  of the tv show Victoria (2016–2019)ITV, Victoria (2016–2019)

The Queen Took A Liking To Her

Queen Victoria came away from her meeting with Sarah with positive feelings. In writing about their initial encounter, she wrote, "Capt: Forbes saved her life, by asking for her as a present. … She is 7 years old, sharp & intelligent, & speaks English. She was dressed as any other girl. When her bonnet was taken off, her little black woolly head & big earrings gave her the true negro type".

Screenshot  of the tv show Victoria (2016–2019)ITV, Victoria (2016–2019)

She Became The Queen's Goddaughter

Sarah made such an impression on the queen that the royal decided to usher this foreign ward under her wing and raise her as her own goddaughter. She would receive a fine education and be well taken care of. For Sarah, it would be a completely new world.

Still staying with Forbes, Sarah began seeing the queen on a regular basis. It was he who witnessed the change in the young girl firsthand. 

Screenshot  of the tv show Victoria (2016–2019)ITV, Victoria (2016–2019)

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She Was A "Perfect Genius"

According to Forbes, he found Sarah to be a "perfect genius," who quickly learned the English language and excelled at music. However, he went even further, praising her intelligence in comparison to white children of a similar age. He clearly thought very highly of her abilities.

But there were still challenges ahead for her.

Screenshot  of the tv show Victoria (2016–2019)ITV, Victoria (2016–2019)

The Queen Sent Her Away

In 1851, Sarah's health took a worrisome turn. She came down with a severe cough. Back then, many believed that the brisk British weather could be a health concern for anyone coming from Africa. As a result, the queen's goddaughter went on yet another journey.

Screenshot  of the tv show Victoria (2016–2019)ITV, Victoria (2016–2019)

She Went To A Missionary School

Because of her cough, Sarah ended up in Freetown, Sierra Leone—or, more specifically, the Church Missionary Society school. Here, she would learn how to become a missionary herself. However, she was allegedly not pleased about her time spent there.

Screenshot  of the tv show Victoria (2016–2019)ITV, Victoria (2016–2019)

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She Still Had Contact With The Queen

While in Freetown, Sarah's relations with the queen did not cease. In fact, Queen Victoria sent her books and gifts. But her stay at the missionary school would not be forever. After four years, she was shuffled around once again. 

Sara Forbes Bonetta portrait in dressNational Portrait Gallery, Wikimedia Commons

She Stayed With A Family Of Missionaries

Returning to England, Sarah found herself living among a different family of missionaries. This time, it was the Schoen family from Gillingham, Kent. And, of course, it was the queen who sent her there in the first place. 

Gillingham, KentJohn Stratford, Flickr

She Was A Natural Musician

While staying with the Schoen family, Sarah succeeded in making another good impression. Annie, one of the daughters, was especially complimentary of Sarah's aptitude for music. It was also Annie who noticed how close she was to the queen.

Sara Forbes Bonetta portrait in black dressJoseph Langridge, Wikimedia Commons

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She Was One Of The Queen's Favorites

Annie Schoen recognized the strong bond between Queen Victoria and Sarah: "[Queen Victoria] gave constant proofs of her kindly interest in her. At the Midsummer and Christmas seasons she often went either to Windsor or Osborne to stay in the family of one of the officers of Her Majesty’s Household, and was frequently sent for by the Queen to see her privately".

However, as bright as Sarah proved to be, she was still under a microscope.

Osborne HouseHumac45, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

She Flipped The Script

Because of the color of her skin, Sarah became a curiosity—especially because most white folks believed that Africans were an inferior race. Her connection to the queen and her remarkable abilities flew in the face of these prejudiced views.

Screenshot of the short movie Conversations from the Past (2024)Ghost Media, Conversations from the Past (2024)

She Entered British Society

Another six years went by before Sarah reluctantly moved yet again—this time to Brighton, where she awaited her official entry into British society. At the age of 19, she waved goodbye to her childhood. There were daunting new expectations for her to rise to... or resist.

Screenshot of the short movie Conversations from the Past (2024)Ghost Media, Conversations from the Past (2024)

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She Didn't Want To Get Married

In 1862, Sarah had to do something she absolutely did not want to go through with: her wedding. A merchant from Sierra Leone named James Davies expressed his desire to marry her. They were old acquaintances and had met previously at the missionary school, but to Sarah, he was basically a stranger.

She didn't seem to recognize him at all, but it seemed that he certainly remembered her. However, they did have something in common.

James Davies In LondonHenry Guttmann Collection, Getty Images

They Came From Similar Backgrounds

Davies' parents were Yoruba Africans, just like Sarah's—but their similar backgrounds weren't enough to convince her that he was her perfect match. 

In a letter to Mrs Schoen, Sarah discussed her intense apprehension: "Others would say ‘He is a good man & though you don’t care about him now, will soon learn to love him'. That, I believe, I never could do. I know that the generality of people would say he is rich & your marrying him would at once make you independent, and I say ‘Am I to barter my peace of mind for money?’ No—never!"

Screenshot of the short movie Conversations from the Past (2024)Ghost Media, Conversations from the Past (2024)

She Had No Choice

Unfortunately for Sarah, it didn't really matter what she wanted—the queen had the final word in the end. Queen Victoria demanded that she marry Davies, and so the young girl had no real choice in the matter. On August 14, 1862, she and Davies tied the knot.

But this wasn't your typical wedding.

James Pinson Labulo Davies And Sara Forbes Bonetta portraitCamille Silvy, Wikimedia Commons

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She Had An Opulent Wedding Ceremony

Because Sarah had the queen's favor, her wedding ceremony was downright opulent. On top of this, she continued to be a major source of curiosity for those wondering about this alleged "African princess". Therefore, she had quite an audience on her hands as the nuptials took place.

Screenshot of the short movie Conversations from the Past (2024)Ghost Media, Conversations from the Past (2024)

She Became A Spectacle

According to reports at the time, Sarah's wedding party was quite large. She had 16 bridesmaids, as well as 10 horse-drawn carriages. And because of their weighted social class, a very renowned photographer, Camille Silvy, snapped their portraits on the big day.

Portrait of French photographer Camille Silvy by SilvyCamille Silvy, Wikimedia Commons

She Returned To Africa

Because her new husband's work was back in Africa, Sarah followed her new husband to Sierra Leone not long after saying "I do," eventually settling in Lagos. But the very next year, Sarah had a brand new role to fill.

Screenshot of the short movie Conversations from the Past (2024)Ghost Media, Conversations from the Past (2024)

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She Became A Mother

In 1863, Sarah welcomed her first daughter—and perhaps, unsurprisingly, she decided to name her Victoria after the queen. The cherry on top? Queen Victoria also agreed to become the child's godmother—and at the baby's christening, she sent a lavish gift.

Grayscale Portrait Photo of Queen Victoria on Blurred Background.John Jabez Edwin Mayal, Wikimedia Commons

The Queen Sent Gifts For Her Child

To celebrate the birth of Sarah's first child, Queen Victoria was especially generous, sending over special gold pieces—a salver, knife, cup, fork, and spoon. 

Though Sarah and Davies would have two more children together—Arthur in 1871 and Stella in 1873—tragedy lurked on the horizon.

Screenshot of the short movie Conversations from the Past (2024)Ghost Media, Conversations from the Past (2024)

She Had Tuberculosis

You see, even in the late 1860s Sarah's health had become a major point of concern: She simply wasn't well. The truth was that she had tuberculosis—an illness with no cure which spelled her inevitable end. Still, that didn't stop her from trying to dodge the Grim Reaper as best she could.

Screenshot of the short movie Conversations from the Past (2024)Ghost Media, Conversations from the Past (2024)

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She Wanted To Get Better

Hoping for some semblance of recovery, Sarah decided to stay in Madeira, no doubt praying that the kinder weather might heal her lungs. However, she couldn't change the nefarious direction in which the current of her life flowed.

Funchal, MadeiraAlfred Pulsford Latham, Wikimedia Commons

She Met A Sad End

At the age of 37, after having one of the most extraordinary lives imaginable, Sarah Forbes Bonetta breathed her last on August 15, 1880. The news devastated everyone who loved her most.

Sarah Forbes Bonetta's gravestonePebling, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Her Daughter Mourned For Her

Sarah's 17-year-old daughter Victoria just happened to be on her way to visit Queen Victoria, when she learned about her mother's passing. Referencing the loss of Sarah, Queen Victoria noted, "my black godchild … was dreadfully upset & distressed. … Her father has failed in business, which aggravated her poor mother’s illness. … I shall give her an annuity".

Portrait of Queen VictoriaWikimedia Commons, Picryl

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The Queen Never Deserted Her

Queen Victoria did not disappear when Sarah passed. In fact, she remained connected to her godchild Victoria for the rest of her life, even financing the girl's education at Cheltenham Ladies' College.

Cheltenham Ladies' CollegeCheltenham Ladies' College, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Never Forgotten

The course of Sarah's life was surreal and tragic—but somehow managed to have a silver lining all the way through. Following her untimely demise, her husband put up a massive granite monument in her honor, located at Ijon in Western Lagos.

Cenotaph Of Sara Forbes BonettaReoMartins, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons


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