Antiques Roadshow is blasted after TV expert asks two guests if they would consider repatriating artefacts given to their ancestor by Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie as gifts

The latest episode of Antiques Roadshow has been blasted after an expert asked two granddaughters of Sir Harold Kittermaster whether they would repatriate a gift he had been given by the former Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie. 

Sir Kittermaster, who was the governor of British Somaliland between 1926 and 1931, was gifted a golden robe and personal letter by Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie. 

According to Ronnie Archer-Morgan, an antiques expert in ethnic, tribal and folk art the robe is valued in the region of £4,000 to £5,000, 

However, viewers were left incensed after Mr Archer-Morgan then asked the two ladies whether they’d be happy to give away the garment for free. 

He said: ‘So if there’s a call for these things to be repatriated, would you be happy to do that?’

Ronnie Archer-Morgan (left) asked two granddaughters of Sir Harold Kittermaster (right) whether they would repatriate a gift he had been given by the former Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie

Sir Kittermaster (pictured), who was the governor of British Somaliland between 1926 and 1931, was gifted a golden robe and personal letter by Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie

In response, the two unnamed granddaughters announced that they ‘absolutely would’ and were going to ‘have a think’ about what they did with the artefact. 

On Sunday night’s episode, host Fiona Bruce had said the episodes theme was ‘items that provide a fresh insight into Britain’s role in Africa in the early 20th century and the contradictions and complexities of colonialism.’

However some viewers, including leading historian Prof David Abulafia at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge have labelled the discussion ‘senseless’ in light of the historical context. 

Ethopia has never asked for historic gifts to be returned. 

Speaking to the Telegraph, Prof Abulafia said: ‘Even for those who believe in returning objects, this simply doesn’t qualify because it was an open gift.

‘It shows how people get caught up in a fashionable idea and they don’t actually think through the fundamental principles.

‘In this case, we’re dealing with a gift – and to whom should it go? Ethiopia – well the Empire has been dissolved so you have a revolutionary government and they don’t qualify, while Somaliland is an anomalous state which has no international recognition, so where on Earth would one send it?

‘Some of these completely unhistorical demands for restitution are extraordinary, it felt like it was the answer they were expected to give.’

Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia had a close friendship with Sir Kittermaster

Haile Selassie served as Ethiopian emperor between 1930 and 1974 and and knew Sir Kittermaster personally when he was the governor of Nyasaland, now Malawi.

A BBC spokesman said, ‘Where we have relevant details about an item, experts explore the wider questions of provenance in relation to a variety of contexts, including the history of the British Empire, which in this instance was around Britain’s role in Africa in the early 20th century.’ 

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