In the words of Victorian author Amelia Murray MacGregor:
John Brown (1827-1883): Brown wears the grey jacket, kilt and hose of half-mourning instituted for him by the Queen after the death of the Prince Consort. From his appointment as Personal Servant to the Queen in 1865, Brown was on duty daily in the south as well as in Scotland. Osborne House is seen in the background. The Queen's increasing dependence on Brown has been frequently misconstrued. She found him the Perfect servant: 'most useful, so calm, quick & strong'. On his death Sir Henry Ponsonby wrote of him: 'He was the only person who could fight and make the Queen do what she did not wish. He did not always succeed nor was his advice always the best. But I believe he was honest, and with all his want of education, his roughness, his prejudices and other faults he was undoubtedly a most excellent Servant to her'. Exhibited: Royal Scottish Academy 1870.
A percentage of the proceeds from the sale of this print will be donated to The Scottish Tartans Authority.
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