Queen Victoria gave her Indian servant tips on different sex positions, a diary has revealed.
Abdul Karim was one of the queen’s most trusted confidants but their relationship was controversial and members of the Royal Family tried to delete his role from history following her death.
But a new film, Victoria and Abdul, based on the book by Shrabani Basu, shines a light on the relationship and reveals Victoria shared advice on sexual positions with Mr Karim, who was just 24 when the pair first met.
And Dame Judi Dench, who plays Victoria in the upcoming movie, even called the queen – who had nine children – a ‘goer’, according to The Times.
A sketch of Queen Victoria on the arm of her Indian servant Abdul Karim. Diaries have revealed the queen gave Mr Karim tips on sex positions
Dame Judi Dench, pictured above portraying the queen in the upcoming film Victoria and Abdul, labelled Victoria ‘a goer’
Author Shrabani Basu was granted rare access to the Royal Archives while writing her book Victoria and Abdul, which has been made into a film starring Dame Judi Dench and Ali Fazal
Ms Basu was granted rare access to the Royal Archives while writing her book and said Mr Karim’s diary, that revealed intimate details between the pair, survived the destruction of his belongings upon Victoria’s death in 1901.
And she used to the queen’s diaries – written in the Urdu taught to her by Mr Karim – to glean fresh details of the relationship.
The letters, written over a 13-year period, are littered with kisses and signed variously as ‘Your dearest friend’ and ‘Your dearest mother’.
In one, written in 1894, she advises Mr Karim, played by Ali Fazal in the film, that his wife should be ‘careful at the particular time every month not to tire herself or go on rough roads’.
Ms Basu said: ‘Few knew that the elderly queen had learnt the language and kept a diary for 13 years.
‘These had never been translated. They brought the relationship alive before my eyes.
‘She discusses why Abdul, who is married, is not having any children. She is very frank, talking about positions with him.’
Abdul Karim, played above by Ali Fazal, was one of the queen’s most trusted confidants but their relationship was controversial
Letters between the pair written over a 13-year period are littered with kisses and signed variously as ‘Your dearest friend’ and ‘Your dearest mother’
The closeness between Victoria and Mr Karim was a cause of concern for the palace, and her son, who became Edward VII, was worried by the relationship
Abdul was brought to England as a servant in 1887, but within a year Victoria had promoted him to ‘Munshi’, or teacher.
Ms Basu added: ‘Queen Victoria liked tall men by her side. I don’t think it was sexual in any sense although there is an intimacy.’
According to the author, the closeness between Victoria and Mr Karim was a cause of concern for the palace, and her son, who became Edward VII, was worried by the relationship.
And in the hours after Victoria’s death members of the royal family launched a mission to recover the letters between the pair.
Abdul was banished and died eight years later, a broken man.
Victoria was famously married to Prince Albert but following his death found companionship with ghillie John Brown.
The film, starring Michael Gambon as Lord Salisbury and Eddie Izzard as the Prince of Wales, is due out next month.