The Ethiopian embassy in London says Windsor is now considering Ethiopia's formal request for the repatriation of Prince Alemayehu's remains. The former royal died in Britain over a century ago.
President Girma Woldegiorgis sent a formal request to Queen Elizabeth II on the matter. The royal household at Windsor Castle, where Prince Alemayehu was buried, is said to be considering the request.
President Girma hopes the prince's bones can be reburied for the millennium celebrations in September, the report said.
Ethiopia has been undertaking a lively campaign to get back historic treasures looted in the last two centuries.
The young Alemayehu was taken to Britain to be educated at a prestigious boarding school and officers' training at Sandhurst, but died at the age of 18.
Prince Alemayehu was buried at Windsor Castle, with Queen Victoria describing his short life and early death as "too sad."
His father, the Emperor Tewodros II, killed himself after his defeat by the British at the Battle of Maqdala in 1868.
The young prince was not the only thing the British took from Maqdala. The British force reportedly needed 15 elephants and nearly 200 mules to carry away the treasures that Emperor Tewodros had accumulated.
Many of them are still in Britain and the Queen has some of them--notably six of the very finest illuminated manuscripts, which are part of the royal collection in Windsor Castle.
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