For three years I was lucky to be a private history teacher for Crown Princess Victoria. I was at an event at the Royal Palace, when Victoria came to me and asked if I could teach her about history. She reminded that it was hard for her to read books (due to her dyslexia), but she would listen gladly.

We sat in a small salon at the Palace… I told our story from the beginning, and ended the last year with all the rulers, their childhood, education, marriages and difficulties. Victoria was extremely interested. She made a lot of notes and next time she would ask questions about something she wanted to know more about. The lessons should have lasted an hour, but usually became much longer because we would discuss the present, the media, trips she was doing.

My teaching ended when she came to Paris. There I guided her in Napoleon and Empress Joséphine’s Château de Malmaison, outside of Paris. An hour was set aside for the visit. She stayed for over two… I will never forget how excited she was at this first meeting with her ancestor Empress Joséphine.