As you all know, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert made a fine couple and named a thousand pubs along the way, but did you know she had a strong “friendship” with an Indian man 40 years her junior and who was her servant called Abdul Karim? Queen Vic took a liking to her cute servant and taught him English and quickly rose him up the ranks.
She showered him with honours and had fun with him until she died.. fun, which included spending time privately together in the Queen’s remotest residence in Scotland. After Queen Victoria died, the Royal Family apparently destroyed all their correspondence as their friendship was frowned upon (ooh the Royals do spoil a good story) and sent him post haste back to India where he died at the tender and maybe love-sick , age of 46.
I love this story .. but I ask you this: why does this tale fill me with romance and pleasure as I think of the Queen of the British Empire having poetry read to her by her ex-servant turned lover …yet a similar octogenarian, Rupert of the Murdoch Empire makes me shudder when he stands beside his young lover? Am I being sexist?
You can read more in Shrabani Basu’s intriguing book, Victoria & Abdul.
Bubbly
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