She Was An African Princess Captured During A War By A King And Then Gifted To Queen Victoria

By Emily Chan May 18, 2026

In 1848, Sarah Forbes Bonetta Davies, a five-year-old girl born into a royal West African dynasty, was captured by the West African King Guezo of Dahomey during a "slave-hunt" war. Sarah's parents were killed during the war, leaving her an orphan.

In 1850, when she was around eight years old, she was rescued by a British naval officer, Captain Frederick E. Forbes, while he was visiting Dahomey. He somehow managed to convince Guezo to give Sarah as a gift to Queen Victoria.

The captain took her back to England and presented her to Queen Victoria. Sarah took on the name of Forbes, as well as that of his ship, Bonetta. Her real African name is thought to have been Aina.

Queen Victoria had a fascination for her Black and colonial subjects. She gave Sarah over to the Church Missionary Society to receive an education.

Sarah had fragile health, so the queen, thinking that the damp English climate was harmful to her health, sent her back to Africa in 1851 to attend the Female Institution in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

When she was 12 years old, Queen Victoria ordered her to return to England because she had expressed her unhappiness in a letter. Back in England, she was under the care of a couple named Mr. and Mrs. Schoen of the Church Missionary Society.

Queen Victoria was thoroughly impressed by Sarah's academic abilities and her gift for literature, art, and music. As a result, she gave Sarah an allowance.

Sarah also became a regular visitor to Windsor Castle. Soon enough, everyone in the royal court began to admire her intelligence and speed in learning English.

In January 1858, Queen Victoria invited Sarah to attend the wedding ceremony of her eldest daughter, Victoria, the Princess Royal. The invitation demonstrated just how highly the queen regarded Sarah.

Red ruby garnet crown. Vintage. monarchy, power and wealth Elina Leonova - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purposes only

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When Sarah was 18 years old, she received a proposal of marriage from a 31-year-old Yoruba businessman named James Pinson Labulo Davies, who was living in Britain.

At first, she turned down his proposal, but after being sent to live with two older ladies in Brighton, she decided to accept in order to escape the squalid living conditions.

In August 1862, Sarah was married in St. Nicholas Church in Brighton. Afterward, the newlyweds moved back to West Africa and settled in Lagos. James became a member of the Legislative Council from 1872 to 1874.

Sarah gave birth to a daughter and received permission to name her daughter after Queen Victoria. The queen was also her godmother. In 1867, Sarah visited the queen with her daughter. Then, she returned to Lagos and had two more children.

In 1880, Sarah died of tuberculosis at around the age of 40. She was buried in Funchal, Madeira. Her daughter, Victoria, continued to visit the British royal household throughout her life. She had two children, and their descendants still live in Lagos to this day.

By Emily Chan May 18, 2026

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