 The Munshi was perceived to have taken advantage of his position as the Queen 's favourite , and to have risen above his status as a menial clerk , causing resentment in the court . On a journey through Italy , he published an advertisement in the Florence Gazette stating that " [ h ] e is belonging to a good and highly respectful famiely [ sic ] " . Karim refused to travel with the other Indians and appropriated the maid 's bathroom for his exclusive use . On a visit to Coburg , he refused to attend the marriage of Victoria 's granddaughter Princess Victoria Melita of Saxe @-@ Coburg and Gotha , because her father , Victoria 's son Alfred , Duke of Saxe @-@ Coburg and Gotha , assigned him a seat in the gallery with the servants . Confronted by the opposition of her family and retainers , the Queen defended her favourite . She wrote to her private secretary Sir Henry Ponsonby : " to make out that the poor good Munshi is so low is really outrageous & in a country like England quite out of place ... She has known 2 Archbishops who were sons respectively of a Butcher & a Grocer ... Abdul 's father saw good & honourable service as a Dr & he [ Karim ] feels cut to the heart at being thus spoken of . " 
