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Royal Gift: Girl's Journey to Queen Victoria's Court
19 Oct
Summary
- African girl gifted to Queen Victoria in 1850.
- Biography reveals her life beyond royal connections.
- Descendant reflects on her ancestral journey.
In 1850, a seven-year-old African girl named Aina was presented to Queen Victoria, a narrative that has recently been re-examined by historian Professor Henry Lovejoy.
His new biography, "Becoming Sarah Forbes Bonetta: A Yoruba Woman in Queen Victoria's Court," challenges the simplistic portrayal of this event.
Research indicates that Captain Frederick Forbes facilitated Aina's journey to England, with her being effectively "indentured to Queen Victoria until age 19."
Born in Oke-Odan, Nigeria, Aina was captured around age five after her town was attacked by forces from the Kingdom of Dahomey.
She was later baptized and named Sarah Forbes Bonetta before meeting Queen Victoria on November 9, 1850.
Despite royal support, including education and approval of her marriage to merchant James Pinson Labulo Davies in 1862, Bonetta's life involved significant control by others.
She later moved to Sierra Leone and Lagos with her husband, becoming accomplished in her own right as a linguist, musician, and educator.
Bonetta died of tuberculosis in Madeira in 1880 at age 37.
Her descendant, Bayo Randle, emphasizes the need to understand Bonetta's full story, acknowledging both the opportunities and the restrictions she endured.
