Quotation

Victoria & Abdul

the True Story of the Queen's Closest Confidant
"... Queen [Victoria] had left detailed instructions regarding the procedures to be followed after her death ... Once the coffin was arranged, [Dr. James] Reid called in the family and members of the Household to see the Queen for the last time. The Munshi [Abdul Karim] was summoned at the very end. He was allowed to spend a moment with his Queen and was the last person to see her alone. As he left the room, the members of the Royal family entered and the coffin was closed ... The Munshi sat in Arthur Cottage [later] that night, the tears silently pouring down his face. He prayed for the friend who had stood by him for the last 13 years and changed his life. To him, she had been more than the Empress of India ... She had been a friend, a mother and an inspiration. ..." (p. 277-278)