5. Queen Victoria Wore a Wedding Ring on Each Hand, One For Her Husband and One For Her Lover
Queen Victoria might be a case study in abnormal psychology for how she dealt with grief and chose to carry on with her life after the death of her husband. Though she continued to carry out many aspects of life as if Prince Albert was still alive — such as how she insisted on her children pose for portraits as if their father was still there — she was known to consult with at least one lover following his death.
The most well-known of those was John Brown, a servant from Scotland who supported the queen greatly following the prince’s unexpected, sudden death. The rest of the court, including her children, grew resentful of the individual attention that he received from her and spread rumors that the two were engaged in an affair. Historical evidence, including both letters from the queen and John Brown, as well as the instruction manual for her burial, suggest that these rumors were based in fact.
After John Brown’s death, she probably engaged in affairs with other servants, including an Indian servant named Abdul Karim. To complete her “wedding funeral,” she wore, on the one hand, a wedding ring for Prince Albert and, on the other hand, a ring for John Brown.