Recently we saw the release of Fern Riddell’s newest book Victoria’s Secret: The Private Passion of a Queen, which reveals new evidence surrounding Queen Victoria’s relationship with her highland servant, John Brown. I have to begin by saying that Fern has done an exceptional job of portraying Victoria as both a queen and as an ordinary woman.
The story of Victoria and John Brown is one that has captivated historians for over a century and is a topic that I myself have been particularly interested in since I began researching Queen Victoria in 2016. In her work Fern has not only focused on the topic at hand, but also delved into other, somewhat unrelated, events in Victoria’s life and reign, allowing us to build up our own picture and opinion of the Queen.
For years there has been much speculation over the nature of Victoria and John’s relationship, which has been intensified by the Royal Family’s insistent attempts to hide and destroy any trace of the Queen’s closest companion. As a result of this, many people have come to the conclusion that the couple had been romantically involved, even suggesting that they had been secretly married. While many attempts have been made over the decades to unearth the truth, I feel that no one has been quite as successful as Fern, who has expertly managed to uncover many documents and artefacts that have been hidden away and lost in various archives.
While I feel that at times the book was biased towards the controversial Brown family, I can do nothing but compliment the way that this new evidence has been presented and I feel that there is no doubt that Victoria and John WERE in fact involved in some sort of romantic relationship. After all, Victoria was only 42 when her beloved Albert passed away and her lustful nature and need for a male guidance, gives us every reason to believe that a strong, ruggedly handsome highlander would take her interest. On top of this, Victoria had always longed to live an ordinary life out of the public eye, and she had finally found this within the Brown family.
When it comes to the topic of a secret marriage between the monarch and servant, I do think it’s possible. Victoria is famous for her strong mindedness and her constant reliance on men. I do agree that Fern has presented enough evidence to suggest that Victoria loved Brown and I fully believe that Victoria would go against the advice of those around her if it meant she could be loved unconditionally. The story surrounding John’s mother’s wedding ring is also enough to suggest a close, marital connection. However, I’m personally not convinced that the deathbed confession of Queen Victoria Chaplain, the Reverend Norman Macleod, is enough to confirm marriage, especially as it is only documented in the diary of Lewis Harcourt, 1st Viscount Harcourt, who wasn’t present at the time it was allegedly said.
One of the big selling points of the book is the new revelation that Victoria and John may have had a secret child, which was supposedly sent to live with John’s brother in New Zealand. While I believe anything to be possible when it comes to Queen Victoria, I don’t personally believe there is enough evidence to suggest that this theory is true.
Overall, Fern has done an incredible job of tastefully telling this fascinating story of a lost royal romance and I highly recommend that everyone gives it a read!
© Queen.Victoria.Roses 2025
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