Addis Ababa, March 4, 2019 (FBC) – Ethiopian embassy in London commended the decision by the Trustees of the National Army Museum to return locks of hair belonging to Ethiopia’s Emperor Tewodros II.

The locks of hair belonging to Emperor Tewodros II were removed by a member of the British expeditionary force led by Field Marshal Robert Cornelius Napier after the Emperor chose to commit suicide rather than surrender at the battle of Maqdala in 1868.

The embassy said in a statement today that it will hold discussions with the National Army Museum on Thursday 7th March on the repatriation of the hair.

The embassy added that “This exemplary gesture of goodwill by the National Army Museum – coming as it does at the end of a year-long commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Maqdala – signifies the dawn of a new level of shared understanding in our complex history,” .

“It is also a reflection of the longstanding ties between Ethiopia and the UK, based on a spirit of partnership and the principle of mutual benefit.”