‘Overwhelming evidence’ Queen Victoria ‘secretly’ took another lover as love child ‘exposed’
Queen Victoria's love life has been the subject of speculation
Queen Victoria’s relationship with her husband Albert was one for the history books. The couple shared nine children and were rumoured to be besotted with each other, enjoying a thriving sex life.
Unfortunately, Albert died when he was just 42, leaving the monarch bereft with grief.
Although the story shrouding Victoria was that she mourned her husband in seclusion for many years, famously wearing black throughout this period, this doesn’t mean she didn’t enjoy other romances in her lifetime apparently…
Queen Victoria’s ‘relationship’ with John Brown
According to reports, Prince Albert’s place was eventually filled by an unlikely suitor.
John Brown, a Scottish Gillie, who had spent time horse riding with the widowed Queen at Balmoral managed to woo the allusive monarch.
In Tom Quinn’s Scandals of the Royal Palaces, the author claimed that Victoria was known to be difficult and snobbish but was unexpectedly impressed by the “refreshingly different” and “masculine” servant.
Quinn claimed that John was often blunt towards Victoria. He would even lose his temper with her, a characteristic that only made Victoria fonder.
He went on to claim that Victoria saw John as Albert’s “replacement”.
Queen Victoria was said to have treasured John so much that she had mementoes of him placed in her coffin upon her death.
The queen was said to have worn John’s mother’s wedding ring on her right hand. In her left hand, she was said to have clutched a photograph of him.
She was also rumoured to have been buried with a lock of John’s hair and letters he had written to her.
New reports have emerged in recent days that Queen Victoria even mothered a child with John Brown!
A new documentary is set to prove that Victorian shared a tenth child with John Brown.
Historian Dr Fern Riddell believes she has found proof that the monarch and her servant were deeply in love and even welcomed a little girl together, called Mary-Anne.
“I believe Victoria and John were madly in love. I believe I’ve found evidence that they got married, and I really do believe there’s a strong possibility they may have had a child together,” Riddell claims, as per the Mirror.
How did Queen Victoria meet John Brown?
Their romance began when Victoria first leased Balmoral in 1848. It was here that John worked as an outdoor servant.
Brown was said to be an increasingly important part of Victoria’s life after the loss of her husband. Reports claim he was even present during an attempted attack against her in 1872.
Brown spotted perpetrator Arthur O’Connor, who was caught with a gun at Buckingham Palace whilst Victoria rode in a carriage nearby.
He managed to stop O’Connor from causing any harm. Because of his efforts to protect Victoria, John was awarded the Devoted Service Medal.
Brown apparently shared a similar personality to Prince Albert.
He was said to have possessed values just as “traditional” as the queen’s late husband, according to Quinn.
Queen Victoria’s ‘bond’ with Balmoral servant
“Brown often treated her with disdain; he would scold her and lose his temper and she loved it,” Quinn penned.
Their bond flourished so much, the Queen apparently began to compare Brown to her late husband.
According to Quinn, Victoria was convinced that “he was a human figure in which the spirit of her late husband had taken up residence”.
It was also claimed that John Brown slept in a room attached to the monarch’s.
Senior figures at the palace were allegedly unimpressed with the duo, with some willing to resign over their companionship.
Queen Victoria reportedly responded to claims that their relationship was inappropriate with anger.
Despite this, the monarch was believed to have heeded the warnings of her courtiers when it came to the publication of a book detailing her feelings for John.
Quinn described the book as a “great love letter to Brown”.
Unsurprisingly its contents are said to have shocked her family and advisors and therefore was not made public.
Queen Victoria’s rumoured ‘marriage’ to servant
Although Victoria and John’s friendship has been the subject of speculation, their relationship was never officially confirmed.
Shockingly, however, it has been alleged that Queen Victoria’s chaplain, Reverend Norman Macleod, confessed to marrying the pair in a secret ceremony on his deathbed.
The supposed marriage of Victoria and John has been disputed but some historians, like biographer A.N. Wilson, believe the ceremony did in fact take place, according to the Mail.
John died in 1883 after suffering an infection, supposedly leaving Victoria heartbroken.
John was buried in Crathie Kirk’s graveyard, the church where he and Victoria were allegedly wed.
His tombstone featured a heartfelt tribute from the monarch.
It read: “This stone is erected in affectionate and grateful remembrance of John Brown, the devoted and faithful personal attendant and beloved friend of Queen Victoria in whose service he had been for 34 years.”
Rumours of Queen Victoria’s love child
Decades and decades on, new claims are being made about Victoria’s romance with Brown. Claims that the alleged couple had a daughter, Mary-Anne.
TV lawyer Rob Rinder, who appears in the documentary that is set to expose the monarch’s love child, said: “Big claims. If you’re right, that changes our understanding of history.”
In her new book, Victoria’s Secret, Fern Riddell explains that she has located a direct descendant of Mary-Anne, Angela Webb.
Angela lives in Minnesota, USA, and John Brown was her grandfather’s great-uncle.
Angela claims she grew up knowing stories that her family came from an illegitimate branch of British royalty. Although, she never thought it could be proved.
In the Channel 4 programme, Angela shows a basket of heirlooms and explains: “They were originally Queen Victoria and John Brown’s and have made their way to me. There are books, there’s jewellery, there’s documents.”
Angela goes on to explain how Victoria and John had a baby girl who was given to John’s brother, Hugh, to bring up with his wife Jessie.
They then were said to have moved to New Zealand to avoid a scandal.
“We were told there was a romantic relationship, that there was a long boat journey, and there was a baby, Mary-Anne, that was Queen Victoria’s and John Brown’s – and my family has descended from that baby,” Angela stated.
Did Queen Victoria have a happy marriage?
Although Queen Victoria was rumoured to have romances after the death of Prince Albert, it is clear that the love they shared was likely the greatest of Victoria’s life.
Following his death, the monarch dedicated her time to memorialising her late husband. She composed large parts of the biography, The Early Years of the Prince Consort (1867), and commemorated her partner in detail at their final resting place – Frogmore Royal Mausoleum.
Victoria commissioned Italian sculptor Carlo Marochetti to create marble recumbent effigies for their tomb in the Royal Mausoleum.
History Extra details a heartfelt description Victoria relayed to one of her daughters regarding her admiration of Prince Albert.
“I owe everything to dearest papa,” Victoria is said to have stated.
“He was my father, my protector, my guide and adviser in all and everything, my mother (I might almost say) as well as my husband.”
The couple have since been described as a “golden couple,” and have been deemed one of the greatest royal love matches of all time.
It is therefore safe to say, Victoria and Albert shared a very happy marriage.
Read more: Real reason King Charles’ and the royal family changed their surname 65 years ago
So, what do you think of Queen Victoria’s alleged secret marriage? Do you believe she had a relationship with John Brown? Do you want to hear more about Victoria? Let us know by leaving a comment on our Facebook page.
