 To the Household 's surprise and concern , during Victoria 's stay at Balmoral in September 1889 , she and Karim stayed for one night at a remote house on the estate , Glassalt Shiel at Loch Muick . Victoria had often been there with Brown and after his death had sworn never to stay there again . In early 1890 , Karim fell ill with an inflamed boil on his neck and Victoria instructed Reid , her physician , to attend to Karim . She wrote to Reid expressing her anxiety and explaining that she felt responsible for the welfare of her Indian servants because they were so far from their own land . Reid performed an operation to open and drain the swelling , after which Karim recovered . Reid wrote on 1 March 1890 that the Queen was " visiting Abdul twice daily , in his room taking Hindustani lessons , signing her boxes , examining his neck , smoothing his pillows , etc . " 
