An extraordinary life: descendant welcomes biography of woman ‘gifted’ to Queen Victoria
A new biography explores the life of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, a Nigerian woman who was captured as a child and presented to Queen Victoria as a diplomatic gift. Her great-great-grandson reflects on her complex legacy as a royal protege and the historical context of British colonialism.
Why it matters
The story highlights the intersection of personal family history and the broader, often exploitative, narratives of the British imperial era.
Sarah Forbes Bonetta was brought to England by Frederick Forbes, of the Royal Navy’s West Africa Squadron. Photograph: William Bambridge (1819-79)/Royal Collection Trust Sarah Forbes Bonetta was brought to England by Frederick Forbes, of the Royal Navy’s West Africa Squadron. Photograph: William Bambridge (1819-79)/Royal Collection Trust Colonialism An extraordinary life: descendant welcomes biography of woman ‘gifted’ to Queen Victoria A girl called Àìná was captured by an African king and later taken to England to become Sarah Forbes Bonetta, protege of the imperial monarch
Prefer the Guardian on Google When she was seven years old, Bayo Randle’s great-great-grandmother Sarah Forbes Bonetta was presented to Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle as a “diplomatic gift” from an African king.
Victoria would go on to pay for Bonetta’s education, approve her marriage to one of west Africa’s wealthiest men, and become godmother to her eldest daughter.
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