Descendant Reflects on Life of Girl Gifted to Queen Victoria in 1850

• In 1850, a seven-year-old African girl named Aina was presented to Queen Victoria as a diplomatic gift.
• Aina, later renamed Sarah Forbes Bonetta, grew up under royal protection but faced restrictions on her freedom.
• Now, 176 years later, a new biography examines her life, and her great-great-grandson, Bayo Randle, reflects on her legacy.
• Queen Victoria paid for Bonetta's education and approved her marriage.
• Bonetta's life and legacy are being revisited through a new biography and reflections from her descendant.