In a significant act of historical reconciliation, a lock of hair that once belonged to Prince Alemayehu, a young Ethiopian prince who passed away over 140 years ago, has been formally handed over to Ethiopian representatives in the United Kingdom.
This gesture represents a step towards addressing a complex chapter in history that began in 1868 when British soldiers took custody of the young prince following the invasion of his father’s fortress, Emperor Tewodros II, who later took his own life, as reported by the BBC.
The unfortunate journey of Prince Alemayehu began when he was just seven years old and was brought to London. This relocation was a result of his orphaned status and the decision by Queen Victoria, who agreed to provide financial support for him. During this time in London, Captain Tristram Charles Sawyer Speedy, who had accompanied the young prince from Ethiopia, served as his guardian. However, the prince’s time in Britain was marked by unhappiness, far from the embrace of his homeland.
Prince Alemayehu met an untimely demise at the age of 18 in 1879 and was laid to rest at Windsor Castle near London. This burial site has been a subject of controversy in recent years, as Ethiopia has consistently requested the repatriation of his remains.
On September 22, Ethiopia’s ambassador to the UK, Teferi Melesse, officially received the lock of hair that once belonged to Prince Alemayehu, along with several other artifacts looted from Emperor Tewodros’s Maqdala fortress.
Ambassador Melesse welcomed this act of restitution and expressed the belief that these cultural treasures would now return to their rightful place, serving as sources of inspiration and education for future generations.
Despite the calls for repatriation, Buckingham Palace has rejected recent demands to exhume the prince’s remains, citing concerns about disturbing the catacombs of St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, where he rests.
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