King Charles Could Face Demands to Return 'Immoral' Treasures by Ethiopia's Government: Report

Mar. 15, 2025

King Charles III leaves Waltham Forest Town Hall in London on Dec. 20, 2024.Photo:Wiktor Szymanowicz/Anadolu via Getty

Wiktor Szymanowicz/Anadolu via Getty

The Ethiopian government will reportedly be demanding thatKing Charlesreturn “immoral” artifacts that have been kept in Britain since the 1868 Battle of Magdala.

“It is immoral,” said the heritage authority’s director general Abebaw Ayalew Gella. “You don’t just put them somewhere. They are sacred.”

“A manuscript with illumination is always considered sacred,” Gella added, referring to the “illuminated” works. “You don’t even touch them.”

King Charles speaks to guests during a reception at Buckingham Palace on Jan. 13, 2025.Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty

Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty

Artifacts from the emperor’s fortress were then auctioned off, some presented to the royal family, with the British having taken Tewodros’ wife Empress Tiruwork Wube and their young son, but she died during the journey, aspreviously reported. Tewodros II’s gold filigree slippers, as well as a revolver, were added to the Royal Collection, as well. They are among the items that Ethiopia is reportedly seeking to be returned.

According toThe Telegraph, the Royal Collection can return items at the discretion of trustees, although a law is preventing Britain’s national museums from letting go of its own artifacts. Per the outlet, while the British Museum Act 1963 forbids the return of any object in the collection, officials in Ethiopia will be making a formal repatriation request to the U.K. government.

Orthodox priest Memher Girma Batu toldThe Telegraphthat it is “not fair to have them there,” referring to the Tabots, tablets that represent the Arc of the Covenant. “They symbolize the commandments of God. Based on this I want to say please return the Tabots to their original place — that is Ethiopia.”

“As such, The King would take advice from Royal Collection Trust, who would consult a range of internal and external stakeholders.”

King Charles and Queen Camilla attending the Christmas Day morning church service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, Norfolk on Dec. 25, 2024.Aaron Chown/PA Images via Getty

Aaron Chown/PA Images via Getty

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Despite his descendants reportedly asking for the move, the palace said in a statement that it was “very unlikely that it would be possible to exhume the remains without disturbing the resting place of a substantial number of others in the vicinity.”

“Conscious of the responsibility to preserve the dignity of the departed it is therefore, with regret, not possible to agree to the request, but in recent years we have accommodated requests from Ethiopian delegations to visit St Georges and will continue to do so,” the statement read.

source: people.com