Taken with his mother, who died during the forced journey to London, Prince Alemayehu ended up dying 11 years later, from illness, at the age of 18, having been buried in Windsor Castle in the 19th century.
For the second time in two decades, his family has requested the "unconditional" return to Ethiopia of his remains, which Buckingham Palace has refused, claiming that the removal of the Ethiopian prince's remains "could impact others buried in the catacombs of St. George at Windsor Castle".
"We don't want him to remain in a foreign country", say the family, adding that the prince "had a sad life".
"When we think of him, we cry. If they agree to return his mortal remains, it's like coming home alive", the family had bitterly argued.
How did it all happen?
In 1862, the prince's father, Emperor Tewodros II, wrote to Queen Victoria seeking an alliance between the United Kingdom and Ethiopia.
But the queen never responded to their requests, which angered the emperor and resulted in his decision to hold some Europeans, including some of the British consul, hostage.
British and Indian troops then launched a military expedition to rescue them, recruiting around 13,000 troops.
Troops besieged the fortress of Tewodros at Maqdala in northern Ethiopia in 1868 and soon broke down the defenses, prompting the emperor to decide to take his own life.
After the battle, the British stole thousands of artifacts, including manuscripts, necklaces, gold crowns and dresses – and took the emperor's son and wife.
The young prince later arrived in England in June 1868, after the deaths of his mother and father, and Queen Victoria was moved by his story, deciding to support him financially, as well as assigning him the guardianship of Captain Tristan. Charles Sawyer Speedy, who escorted the Prince of Ethiopia to England.
