About this episode
By the age of just 7, Sara Forbes Bonetta had survived a West African war, lost her parents, been enslaved and finally, exchanged as a gift for a far-flung queen. When she arrived in the court of Queen Victoria in 1850, the monarch was immediately impressed by the determined, intelligent young girl. She took Sara under her wing as a royal protégée and goddaughter, setting in motion an extraordinary story of transformation and identity. Dan is joined by Joanna Brown, author of Bright Stars of Black British History , to discuss Sara's extraordinary life and what it can tell us about the British Empire. Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore. Discover the past with exclusive history documentaries and ad-free podcasts presented by world-renowned historians from History Hit. Watch them on your smart TV or on the go with your mobile device. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW sign up now for your 14-day free trial . We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com . You can take part in our listener survey here . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.