Stories of Royal illegitimate children can usually be discounted as a fantasist or opportunist claims for fame. But the recurring rumours of Queen Victoria’s romantic relationship with servant John Brown after Prince Albert died persist. With a further twist as suggestions are being made that there was a child, spirited away to New Zealand by Brown’s brother.
Victoria, 24 May 1819 4.15.am London, reigned for 63 years over the UK at the height of its powers commercially and globally. She produced 9 children, 42 grandchildren whose marriages she arranged tying the Royal Houses of Europe together.
She had an extraordinarily difficult chart. A 12th house Gemini New Moon conjunct Ascendant is sextile a tough-minded Saturn Pluto conjunction in late Pisces, which is turn is square a Uranus Neptune conjunction in Sagittarius. She would be restless, nervy, highly strung, stubborn, autocratic, rebellious, neurotic and communicative with a sharp, bright mind. What softened the rougher edges of her chart and her life was a successful Jupiter in Aquarius in the 10th on the point of a mini grand trine to Mars in Aries trine Uranus in Sag – so she would be adventurous. Her Venus was in upfront Aries so behind the austerity was a sparky emotional nature.
Her childhood was scholastic but restricted by her oppressive mother who feared assassination attempts on her life and wanted to control her every move to promote her own interests in money and power. Victoria said later her tough childhood prepared her for what came next and on succeeding to the throne she banished her mother to separate accommodation.
She proposed to and married her cousin Prince Albert, 26 August 1819 6am Rosenfeld, Germany, which was portrayed as a great love affair producing nine children. He had a Virgo Sun with a Scorpio Moon; and Mars in Gemini opposition Uranus Neptune square Saturn Pluto so would be a curious combination of highly strung and utterly determined, probably given to depression. His Venus in Leo was trine Victoria’s Venus in Aries which hints at good feelings between them and his Sun falls in her 4th house which would bring her home comfort as well as a solid base for his life. Her Gemini New Moon is conjunct his midheaven so she undoubtedly helped him to prominence and shaped his career.
In their relationship chart the composite Venus is opposition Uranus Neptune and square Saturn Pluto which looks very difficult – though a Royal lifestyle probably needs a tough approach. Venus was in the 1st so there would be an appearance of love though many separations (Ur Nep in 7th) and far too much duty (Sat Pl). There is admittedly an 8th house Jupiter (good for money and sex) squaring onto Mars, opposition Moon which would provide a few indulgences.
When he died Victoria’s Solar Arc Neptune was conjunct her natal Saturn Pluto conjunction she would be devastated. And her Solar Arc Pluto just into her natal 12th was conjunct her Mercury making for the deep depression which sent her into seclusion for years thereafter.
At which point John Brown, the Scottish servant, 8 December 1826, Perth, Scotland, seven years younger than Victoria, arrived to become an intimate confidante and supporter. He was a Sagittarius with an Aries Moon so picked up her passionate Mars and Venus in Aries. His Mars in Aquarius was also conjunct her Jupiter which would boost her morale and perhaps lead both into taking risks; and his Jupiter falling in her 5th house of fun would undoubtedly help. His Venus Neptune fell in her 8th for a passionate connection. Most significantly his Sun fell in her 7th house of close relationships which is ideal for a marriage.
The relationship chart had an affectionate Venus Sun conjunction with the Sun also conjunct Mars and an adventurous Jupiter square to Mars and Sun. In many ways it was a more affectionate and vital relationship than the one she had with her husband. But also one which was able to survive in secret without the constraints of a burdensome Royal existence.
[Two things surprise me about Victoria – one was her reputation for enjoying the pleasures of the bedchamber which is not entirely obvious from her chart – producing children being an unwanted distraction. Secondly how ‘Victorian’ came to be emblematic of an uptight, moralistic culture when she clearly lived a more indulgent lifestyle behind the scenes.]
I was really intrigued by the documentary on Osborne, the residence Albert largely planned in Isle of Wight. It was a lovel place, I liked the Swiss cottage made in scale for the kids Albert seemed to enjoy being with much more than Victoria. But of course, much more attention went to the buzzer she could ring in her bed chambers to call Albert in.
Intriguing, thanks Marjorie. I wonder if the chart for Victoria’s Coronation, 28 June 1838, might partly describe how we see the very long Victorian age? She was only 19 when she was crowned queen, yet our abiding image of her in popular culture is as an overweight, elderly monarch, or depressed and grieving middle-aged widow in black dresses. As you write:
“Secondly how ‘Victorian’ came to be emblematic of an uptight, moralistic culture when she clearly lived a more indulgent lifestyle behind the scenes.”
The Coronation day,with its ‘maternal’ Sun in Cancer, had Venus in Taurus opposing Saturn in Scorpio – perhaps symbolising a long reign, repressed sexuality, and also sex for sale – a major theme in the 19th century. When Victoria came to the throne, the age of consent was 12…..The pornography industry flourished too.
Mars in Gemini makes a t-square with the Jupiter/Uranus opposition in Virgo and Pisces – so much erratic energy there, and the Victorians were full of energy, inventions, and a huge appetite for sensational news, novels, theatre shows, and exhibitions. Mercury in Gemini sextile Pluto in Aries adds intensity. Both detective novels and gothic horror stories were popular during Victoria’s reign. Coronation Pluto was conjunct Victoria’s natal Mars in Aries – she was a powerfully symbolic figure.
Mars trine Neptune in Aquarius and S Node in Libra might include hidden secrets, idealism and philanthropy, and maybe the Victorian love of mind-altering substances such as alcohol, and the widely, legally available drugs – cannabis, cocaine, opium etc. Spiritualism, and all the many and varied scams accompanying that, was another Victorian passion that Mars trine Neptune could describe, and that Victoria embraced enthusiastically. I’d include all the popular cross-dressing stars of the music halls too – both male and female.
The Victorians, which covers more than one generation of course, were prone to hiding things and attempting to present a virtuous image. Beneath that, their world was far from strait-laced. Recent research is revealing the extent of bigamous marriages, marriages that were just ‘pretend’ for the sake of convention, children given to wealthier relatives, or others and so on. The ‘uptight moralistic culture’ sat on the surface, while those who could quietly get away with breaking those puritanical rules did just that.
Have you ever come across ‘My Secret Life’ by ‘Walter’ (anonymous, though there’s been much speculation on the identity of the author), a self-published account of one Victorian gentleman’s erotic adventures, Jane? It was first published in 1888 – the year of the ‘Ripper’ murders – taking the form of 11 separate volumes. 1888 saw Pluto in early Gemini as well as the ingress of Neptune into Gemini. It has been described as “one of the strangest and most obsessive books ever written”. Certainly there are no holds barred, it contains liberal use of the C-word and other vulgar sexual slang. It would horrify a contemporary audience as it contains many illegal and depraved behaviours, but it’s an interesting glimse into the sexual subculture of a period where the veneer of outward respectability was so important to uphold.
Yes VF, I have. Quite astonishing how uninhibited those repressed Victorians could be! And how they took advantage of new print technologies, and photography, to make money from erotica etc. Rather like what happened to chunks of the internet I suppose – one of the first uses of a new way of spreading information for profit? The Secret History of Holywell Street at the Public Domain Review has some fascinating things to say about the Victorians.
I’ve been wondering about the ‘discovery’ of Neptune on 23 September 1846 in relation to Victoria and the ‘flavour’ of her long reign. It’s interesting because Neptune was at 25 Aquarius, conjunct Saturn in Aquarius. Pluto sextiled them from 25 Aries, with a trine to BML, 26 Leo. We’re now looking at a Saturn conjunct Neptune in Aries, sextile Pluto in Aquarius (with Uranus in Gemini too).
Neptune’s affinity with photography, drugs, fantasy, spiritualism, philanthropy and so on seem so much in tune with what was developing during that mid-century period. Saturn conjunct Neptune tries to put a lid on it, but moves on from the conjunction. Victoria’s own Neptune/Uranus trine Venus in impulsive Aries would have been energised by Neptune’s official birthday, with tr Pluto conjunct her Venus at that time.
Our own Aries Saturn/Neptune in the UK has seen the Online Safety Bill, which is shaping up to be a highly unpopular piece of legislation and I’m far from convinced that it is actually workable. Indeed, the Victorian Establishment’s attempts to shut down Holywell Street’s pornographers were futile, since there will always be a demand for such material. Indeed, even the Royal Collection contains a plentiful quantity of erotica by the caricaturist Thomas Rowlandson which was commissioned by the royalty of the 18th century. Victoria may well have had access to this material!
Regarding Neptune in Pisces, 1846 saw the first use of anaesthesia in the UK when in 1846, a dentist named James Robinson administered ether for a tooth extraction. Victoria herself was given chloroform for the birth of Prince Leopold in 1853 and Princess Beatrice in 1857 by her physician Dr. John Snow. The Pre Raphaelite movement with its luminous colours and idealised female form, harking back to an Arthurian past that never really existed was in full swing and the availability of poisons and drugs saw an age of poisoning, whether that be by arsenic, cyanide or strychnine, all of which were readily available from chemists.
Going back to Victoria, it’s curious that while she had no Earth element, her appetites were voracious. Victoria always had a love of food and while as a child her diet was strictly monitored, once Queen she allowed herself to eat whatever she liked which was generally frowned upon in women who were expected to maintain a bird like appetite – in fact I’ve trad an article arguing that ‘anorexia nervosa’ has its roots in Victorian pressures on women. At just 4’11” her weight gain was all the more noticeable. She had a BMI of 33 which would today would be considered clinically obese. Perhaps she ate for comfort, perhaps it was a reaction against her controlling mother. It might be connected somehow to her Jupiter in the 10th which can often signify a larger person or someone with a larger than life persona. In Aquarius, I would imagine it gave her a certain unique sense of humour. The late Queen had an Aquarius Jupiter too and was known for her dry wit and ability to mimic.
Some fascinating patterns and resonances here, thanks VF.
Re Queen Victoria and John Brown – I notice that their composite Mars, 16 Pisces square Jupiter in Sagittarius, will be activated by early September’s Pisces Lunar Eclipse. Queen Victoria’s natal Saturn 28 Pisces and Pluto 27 Pisces are opposed by September’s Virgo Solar Eclipse. Meanwhile, Victoria’s natal Sun 2 Gemini, and Moon 3 Gemini, have the Uranus in Gemini transit to look forward to, which could perhaps create changes in the way she is seen and portrayed? We’ve tended to view her through Saturn’s lens, but maybe the Saturn and Neptune transits in late Pisces to her natal Saturn and Pluto are moving to dissolve some of that in the popular imagination?
Thanks, partly, to costume dramas the sheer physicality of 19th century life is only shown amongst the working classes. Yet everyone was familiar with the sight of a corpse, and all women, including Victoria, had their babies at home. Not to mention the general filth, horse manure, and so on in city streets!
Re the challenging Online Safety Bill – we can go back to the late Victorians there, and look at the National Vigilance Association of August 1885 – an activist attempt (frequently robustly lampooned) to regulate social morality, public morality and so on. The month of August 1885 had Pluto 2-3 Gemini, trine Uranus 0-1 Libra, with 26-5 Virgo Nodes. Solar Eclipse that September was 16 Virgo, opposing our approaching Lunar Eclipse at 15 Pisces this September. A Uranus return for the UK itself, with tr Pluto squaring itself in both UK 1801 and 1066 charts. John Brown died in 1883, another connection with that era?
1886 is intriguing too. There’s a March Solar Eclipse at 15 Pisces, and a Lunar Eclipse 29 Virgo. Some kind of mirror with current times there, alongside an early degree airy Pluto and Uranus….
Thanks for the National Vigilance Association astrology, Jane. 1886 is the year of the dedication of the Statue of Liberty on October 28th by President Grover Cleveland, so the mirroring of that in our own times ties that in to the eclipses you mention this year. Interesting at a moment when democracy in the US is under threat as well as immigration, when migrants are being rounded up by ICE agents in the fields where they are working. Poor Liberty has been depicted in political cartoons in despair and with her head in her hands.
It’s always interesting when one sees transits to natal charts which seem to trigger renewed interest in that long dead individual and the transits to V & JB’s composite really have shed more light on their relationship. It somehow humanises them in a way that makes them more relatable. I remember in the film starring Judi Dench and Billy Connolly, Brown was referred to by Victoria’s adult children as ‘Mama’s Lover’. Within the family itself it must have been an open secret.
However, one of Victoria’s daughters, Princess Louise likely had an affair with her art tutor and had a child. Of course this was swiftly covered up, and I believe PL’s letters are still under lock and key and almost impossible to access. Ridiculous, considering we are now in the 21st century. It’s said that Louise’s marriage to the rumoured-to-be Gay Duke of Argyle was a punishment from Queen Victoria for the affair – as we know, she did not always treat her children well.
Composite chart: Mars in the 12th in Pisces conjunction a lot of planets; lots of secrets. After giving birth to nine children, popping out another would have been no big deal.
QV’s natal astrology appears to have a complete absence of the Earth element too. I would imagine Brown’s line-up in Capricorn lent some stability and realism to the relationship as well as perhaps an injection of earthy goatishness. She was buried with a locket containing a picture of Brown as well as a lock of his hair.
I have always felt convinced that Victoria was Taurus rising. She is small and stubborn and yet steadfast in many ways, not usually a Gemini trait. This would also explain her more sensual side. She looks so Taurus!