John Herschel’s destiny lay in science. Ahead was a career of creation in astronomy, botany, chemistry, geography, meteorology, photography, and much else. Not least would be the attention he paid to mathematics. His royal road to becoming a leader in Victorian science was paved by William and Caroline Herschel, his celebrated father and aunt, both of whom were acknowledged authorities in astronomy. William, a German émigré to England, held the position of ‘King’s Astronomer’ and in this role established a rapport with George III, an amateur astronomer himself. William gained wider recognition as the discoverer of ‘The Georgian’ (known later as the planet Uranus) and Caroline as the discoverer of comets.