Dan Snow's History Hit

Sara Forbes Bonetta: Queen Victoria's African God-Daughter

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 <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sign up now for your 14-day free trial</a>. We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at <a href="mailto:ds.hh@historyhit.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ds.hh@historyhit.com</a>. You can take part in our listener survey<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here</a>.

Historian Dan Snow investigates the 'how' and 'why' of history's defining moments. From the Colosseum of Ancient Rome and the battlefields of Waterloo to the tomb of Tutankhamun, Dan journeys across the globe to share the greatest stories from the past that help us understand the present. New episodes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. You can get in touch with us at <a href="mailto:ds.hh@historyhit.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ds.hh@historyhit.com</a> A podcast by History Hit, the world's best history channel and creators of award-winning podcasts The Ancients, Gone Medieval, and Betwixt the Sheets. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</a>.