Victoria's Secret: The Private Passion of a Queen

by Fern Riddell

*The book that inspired the major Channel 4 documentary airing this summer!*

A passionate and provocative re-evaluation of Queen Victoria's relationship with her servant John Brown that uncovers the secrets the royal machine keeps from us, by acclaimed historian Dr Fern Riddell.

From the moment John Brown arrived as a servant to Queen Victoria's household, he became known across the land as her loyal companion, her fierce protector, and her right-hand man; their friendship immortalised in print and later on-screen. But what if there was more to their relationship than we know? And what has history been hiding from us?

Rumours have swirled around this relationship for years as historians have attempted to bring the truth to light – now for the first time, Dr Fern Riddell re-examines everything we thought we knew about one of Britain's most iconic women. Through unearthing groundbreaking new evidence, Riddell challenges the prevalent image of Victoria as a grieving widow to create a compelling human portrait of a woman in passionate midlife.

Against a backdrop of court politics, family dynasties and the magic of the Highlands, Victoria’s Secret untangles the mysteries that the royal family have tried to keep hidden for generations, forcing us to question ‘who really writes our history’?

Both a timeless romance and an extraordinary retelling of the emotional life of a queen, Victoria's Secret is an unmissable account of a woman in love.

'A witty, compelling, irresistible read that unpretentiously reveals a great deal about the Victorian age.' Sathnam Sanghera

'A meticulous unravelling of a 160-year-old mystery' Emily Brand

'Riveting, bold and deeply human' - Elinor Cleghorn

'Tender, surprising and just might change how we see Queen Victoria' - Robert Rinder

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Victorian

415 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 31, 2025

Reviews

[Agnes Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

unbelievably interesting how so much history can just be erased. brilliantly written too, she managed to make a history book come to life

[Keely · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting argument and deep dive. And sadness at certain diaries being destroyed.

[Vanessa Innes-Wagstaff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now finished. Very interesting fresh research revealing more about the royal family and their relationships with the Brown family. Much more detail about the whole saga and the sexual relationships and passion in the lives of the children as well as the queen herself. Fascinating research, much more to this whole Brown family relationship that has met the eye so far. The Royal Archives are not the only source of information! Well worth the read! Very well done, brilliant and extremely interesting.

[3PCats · Rating 4 out of 5]

I tore through this in a day, so it was obviously well-written and engaging. I enjoyed the way the author humanised Queen Victoria and her (what we erroneously think of as modern-day) needs and desires. However, while the author has convinced me that Victoria and John Brown had a romantic relationship and were very likely “irregularly married” (a Scottish practice where vows were taken, minus a religious ceremony)—I am frustrated by the lack of information on the supposed child they had together. Only six pages were devoted to Mary Ann’s descendant who is currently making headlines across the world. This woman, an American citizen, is in possession of memorabilia given to John by Victoria, and says that stories were passed down in the family claiming that Mary Ann (Queen Victoria’s and John Brown’s love child) was given to Hugh Brown (John’s brother) and his wife to raise in New Zealand. Photographs of Mary Ann or ANY of her descendants? No. We’re not even told when Mary Ann died. This genetic link is highly unlikely to ever be proven one way or another as Mary Ann’s body would have to be exhumed and her mitochondrial DNA compared with either Prince Philip’s (from when he helped identify the Romanov remains) or from a direct female descendant of Victoria.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

My mind has been blown by this book.

I have read so many books on Queen Victoria over the years but never one quite like this. It has made me 100% question John Brown and his relationship with Queen Victoria. Fern shows just how little we understand Victoria as a woman, our view of “the widow of Windsor” this largely overweight, miserable and tyrannical matriarch is completely broken down and we see a passionate, loyal, romantic, sensual woman in her very early forties who just wants a connection with a man that’s more than just monarch to subject. Along with John’s utter devotion, it’s all laid bare for us to see. What shocked me the most I think was the fact that some of it is there in plain sight for all to see if only you take those blinkers off and see the real Victoria and John. Fern has in my opinion done just that - Taken the blinkers off and now shared with us what that looked like.
I totally thought I knew these two people, as much as you can from books but I really didn’t.


*******SPOILERS BELOW ******





I was skeptical when this first came out about the claims made within it but can say I have had my mind changed. I completely believe that they were in a loving intimate relationship - something I did not believe before. I thought they were very close but that it was just a very deep friendship. I don’t believe that now. I believe it was so much more than that. I am fairly confident that some form of marriage took place between them, whether or not it was a traditional marriage I doubt but am inclined to believe a form of Scottish marriage took place and they treat each other as husband and wife and were treated as such by his family too. As for the claims of a child between them I am not so sure. Fern makes for a pretty good argument that they did have a child but I am not totally convinced . But on the flip side it would not be a complete shock now if it came out they had a child together. Before reading this book I would have said 100% no. That’s not the case now.

This is incredibly detailed research and really well put together and very easy to follow. I am so pleased I read this and I adore this new look I now have of not just Queen Victoria but John Brown too. Thank you Fern.

[Alyson Munro · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting, enjoyable book that re-evaluates the relationship between Victoria and John Brown on the basis of evidence kept by Brown’s family and other research.

I enjoyed the light it shone on Victoria’s personality and the challenges it presented for the politicians, courtiers and Royal Family (then and apparently more recently) who believed it was unpalatable and dangerous for the established order in an environment of social unrest to have a monarch who flouted convention.
I found it made me feel more sympathetic to the Queen, she was an interesting and passionate person (although probably not a Mum of the Year candidate) and irritated that so much of Victoria’s diaries and correspondence was destroyed after her death.

Dr Riddell is obviously convinced that Victoria and Brown were married in some form, I hope the present royal establishment is brave enough to move into the modern era and make all their material accessible to historians.

[Maurene · Rating 4 out of 5]

The further we move into the 21st century the more we see the real Queen Victoria....I am convinced.... She was tiny (under 5 foot) sexy very close with ordinary Scottish families, sharing meals with them
.... and more than likely married twice..
This book appears very detailed with many sources provided at the back of book.
By the last chapter I am 99% certain that Albert was not Victoria's one and only.....