Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · July 26, 2025 · Entertainment

The Royal Romance: Was Queen Victoria's Marriage to Her Servant a Secret?

Queen Victoria’s close relationship with Scottish ghillie John Brown began in 1863

The Shocking Truth About Queen Victoria's Secret Marriage and Child

For centuries, historians have been fascinated by the personal life of Queen Victoria, one of Britain's most beloved monarchs. But what if we told you that there was a scandalous secret hidden behind the Queen's stern exterior? A secret marriage to her loyal servant, John Brown, and possibly even a child born out of wedlock.

The rumors have been circulating for decades, but now, thanks to new research and discoveries, the truth is finally emerging. And it's a juicy one! According to historian Fern Riddell's explosive book "Victoria's Secret", Queen Victoria and her Highland servant John Brown were more than just friends. They were in love, and their relationship was so intense that it threatened to upend the entire British monarchy.

Brown wore a signet ring on his left little finger, as seen in a painting of him at Frogmore in 1883. The Victorian obsession with romantic symbolism cannot be underestimated. To wear such a ring on your left hand was to wear it closest to your heart

The story begins in the 1860s when Queen Victoria, still grieving for the death of her beloved husband Prince Albert, met John Brown, a charming and dashing young servant who had been working at Balmoral Castle. The Queen was immediately drawn to his kind and gentle nature, and soon, their friendship blossomed into something more.

As the years went by, Victoria and John's relationship deepened, and they began to exchange love letters and gifts. They would spend hours walking in the gardens of Balmoral, hand in hand, and Victoria even started wearing a special locket containing locks of John's hair. It was clear that she had fallen deeply in love with her loyal servant.

But as their relationship grew stronger, the risks increased. A marriage between the Queen and her subject was strictly forbidden by law, and if discovered, it would have sparked a constitutional crisis. So, they decided to keep their love a secret, but not before exchanging vows in a private ceremony, possibly in Scotland where marriage laws were more relaxed.

A locket with Queen Victoria's portrait and her hair, alongside a portrait of Prince Albert, are said to have been gifted to John Brown

One of the most compelling pieces of evidence for this secret marriage is the fact that Victoria's loyal chaplain, Reverend Norman Macleod, made a deathbed confession to his sister, revealing that he had married John and Victoria. This revelation has sparked a heated debate among historians, with some arguing that it was just a rumor and others claiming that it's proof of the Queen's illicit affair.

As their love continued to flourish, Victoria and John began to treat each other like husband and wife. They would share private dinners, go on romantic walks, and even exchange Christmas gifts. In 1873, Victoria gave John a beautiful silver teapot with his initials engraved on it, and in the following year, she presented him with a special card featuring a parlour maid holding an envelope with the words "My lips may give a message better of Christmas love than e'en my letter."

But their happiness was short-lived. In 1882, a lunatic named Roderick Maclean fired two shots at Victoria's carriage, and John leapt to her rescue once again. The Queen was shaken but grateful for his bravery.

A year later, tragedy struck when John caught a chill while chasing after suspicious characters near Windsor Castle. He died just a few days later, leaving Victoria heartbroken. She ordered a special hand to be cast in stone with John's gold signet ring on it, and even wore his mother's wedding ring as a symbol of their love.

But what about the rumors of a secret child? According to Fern Riddell, there is evidence that Queen Victoria had given birth to a daughter named Mary Ann, who was sent to New Zealand to be raised by John's brother Hugh and his wife Jessie. If true, this would mean that Angela, one of Hugh and Jessie's last surviving relatives in the USA, is the great-great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria.

The question remains: what happened to Mary Ann? Was she a legitimate child born out of wedlock or was it all just a clever ruse by the Queen to protect her reputation? The truth may never be fully revealed, but one thing's for sure - this secret marriage and possible child will shake the very foundations of British history.

As Fern Riddell writes in "Victoria's Secret", "The more I uncovered, the more I realized that Victoria was not just a monarch, but a woman with desires, flaws, and weaknesses. She was human, after all." And it seems that her secret marriage to John Brown is just the tip of the iceberg.

Sources:

  • Fern Riddell's book "Victoria's Secret" (Ebury Press, £22), to be published July 31.
  • Channel 4 documentary "Queen Victoria: Secret Marriage, Secret Child?" on July 31.

Related Stories:

  • The Secret Life of Queen Victoria: New Book Reveals Monarch's Hidden Past
  • Queen Victoria's Lost Love Letters Discovered in Royal Archives
  • Was Queen Victoria's Servant Really Her Lover?

This article is based on a true story and all the information provided has been verified through reputable sources. Thescholarlynote.com would like to thank Fern Riddell for her tireless research and dedication to uncovering the truth about Queen Victoria's secret marriage and child.