How a humble Indian clerk became Queen Victoria’s most controversial and trusted royal confidant

History · Published 30 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 1887, Abdul Karim arrived in England as a gift for Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. Within months, the young servant had transcended his menial duties to become the Queen’s official Munshi and closest advisor, sparking a fierce, racially charged backlash from the royal court that lasted until the monarch’s death.

Abdul Karim was born near Jhansi to a hospital assistant, Haji Wuzeeruddin. After working as a clerk at a jail in Agra, he was selected by jail superintendent John Tyler to serve Queen Victoria during her 1887 Golden Jubilee. Initially hired alongside another servant, Mohamed Buxshe, to wait at table and facilitate communication with Indian dignitaries, Karim was quickly singled out by the Queen. She was impressed by his serious demeanor and, after he prepared a chicken curry that she deemed excellent, she began to rely on him for more than just service.

The Queen’s interest in Indian culture soon turned to zeal. She began taking daily Urdu lessons from Karim, who proved to be a fast learner of English. By August 1888, she had promoted him to the title of Munshi, or teacher, effectively removing him from his menial tasks. This rapid elevation mirrored the Queen’s previous relationship with her Scottish servant John Brown, who had died in 1883. Like Brown, Karim became an intimate fixture in the Queen’s life, eventually occupying the same bedchambers and traveling with her to remote locations like the cottage at Glassat Shiel.

This closeness infuriated the royal court. Courtiers, including lady-in-waiting Marie Millet and private secretary Arthur Bigge, expressed deep resentment, often wishing for the Munshi’s removal or imprisonment. While some complaints focused on Karim’s frequent requests for favors—such as pensions for his father or promotions for his former colleagues—historians suggest that the intense hostility was rooted in 19th-century racism. Following the Queen’s death in 1901, her children immediately deported Karim to India and ordered the destruction of his correspondence with the monarch, attempting to erase his influence from the royal record.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• The Indian servant who became Queen Victoria’s most trusted confidant
• The last Maharaja of the Sikh Empire lived his final years as a British aristocrat.
• How a Scottish servant became the most controversial man in Queen Victoria's royal court
• How a 19th-century Indian Queen defied the British Empire before the Doctrine of Lapse
• The Queen’s most controversial confidant was not a prince, but a Scottish servant
• Before it was Britain, the island was known as Albion, the land of giants.
• Why the 2015 UK General Election defied every expert prediction of a hung parliament
• The Aristocrat Who Played First-Class Cricket and Led Britain Through the Cold War
• The 2010 UK general election ended a long era and birthed a hung parliament.
• Eight years of continental armies, allies, and uncertain odds
• Old English speakers remade Britain after Rome withdrew
• Why Henry VIII's fourth marriage was doomed before the couple even met

More in UK & Ireland: history · More in History · Latest · A–Z · All topics