Apostle Heber C. Kimball's encounter with Queen Victoria
Published October 16, 2026 at 11:07 PM
Contributed by
Young Woman's Journal Research
While serving a mission in England, Heber C. Kimball witnessed a procession where Queen Victoria drove through the streets. During this time, he received her direct glance, and they exchanged bows. He subsequently invoked a blessing upon her.
In his personal account, Heber C. Kimball notes that he observed the Queen alongside Elder Woodruff, Sister Ellen Redman, and Dr. Copeland and his wife. He mentions that they stood within eight or nine feet of her when she passed and returned, noting that she appeared as a 'pleasant little body' and that she made her obeisance to the group, which they returned. He connects this event to a previous prediction by Joseph Smith that he would see the Queen.
In Their Own Words
“Elder Woodruff, Sister Ellen Redman, Dr. Copeland and wife, and I had a fair view of the queen. We saw her as the Prophet Joseph told us... We stood within eight or nine feet of her when she passed and returned. She made her obeisance to us, and we returned it. She is a pleasant little body... — President Heber C. Kimball's Journal (Faith-Promoting Series, 1882), p. 25”
Sources & References
The Young Woman's Journal, vol. 12 no. 3 (March 1901). L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University digital collections. https://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/digital/collection/YWJ/id/10245 (account extracted verbatim from the collection's page-level OCR; research confidence: high) Additional sources (periodical research): President Heber C. Kimball's Journal. Salt Lake City: Juvenile Instructor Office, 1882. https://archive.org/details/presidentheberck0000kimb
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