Buckingham Palaces refuses to return remains of Ethiopia’s ‘stolen prince’ who is buried in Windsor Castle grounds

Buckingham Palace has refused to return the body of an Ethiopian prince who was buried at Windsor Castle in the 19th century. 

A descendant of Prince Alemayehu – an orphan who was adored and supported financially by Queen Victoria and died at the age of 18 – has demanded that his remains be returned to Ethiopia.

However, Buckingham Palace has maintained that removing the body would affect others buried in the catacombs of St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.

The Palace said that chapel authorities empathised with the need to honour Prince Alemayehu’s memory, but added they also had ‘the responsibility to preserve the dignity of the departed’.

It confirmed that in the past, the Royal Household ‘accommodated requests from Ethiopian delegations to visit’ the chapel. 

Buckingham Palace has refused to return the body of Ethiopian Prince Alemayehu who was buried at Windsor Castle in the 19th century 

A descendant of Prince Alemayehu – an orphan who was adored and supported financially by Queen Victoria and died at the age of 18 – has demanded that his remains be returned to Ethiopia