An extraordinary life: descendant welcomes biography of woman ‘gifted’ to Queen Victoria
What it is about
Who published it, and when
How it spread - 2 original reports
Sun, 18 October 2026
1 report- The Guardian World07:00first to report
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 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. Continue...
Mon, 19 October 2026
1 report- Times of India09:25
In 1850, a seven-year-old African girl named Aina was presented to Queen Victoria as a diplomatic 'gift' after losing her family and spending two years in captivity. Renamed Sarah Forbes Bonetta, she grew up under royal protection but faced restrictions on her freedom. Now, 176 years later, a new biography is examining her life, while her great-great-grandson, Bayo Randle, reflects on her struggles, achievements and complicated relationship with the British monarchy.