A suggestion by an expert to be repatriated has sparked backlash from a historian and some viewers of the series.
On the most recent episode of , collectibles specialist Ronnie Archer-Morgan met with two women whose had brought in a gift that had been given to their grandfather.
Sir Harold Kittermaster, who was a governor of British Somalialand between 1926 and 1931, was given a golden robe and personal letter by Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie.
According to Archer-Morgan, an antiques expert in ethnic, tribal and folk art the robe was valued in the region of £4,000 to £5,000.
During the discussion, he asked the ladies: ‘So if there’s a call for these things to be repatriated, would you be happy to do that?’
In response, the un-named ladies said they ‘absolutely would’ and were going to ‘have a think’ about what to do with the artefact.
On Sunday night’s episode, host Fiona Bruce had said the 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, the conversation sparked a strong response from some who were watching on.
‘Must confess, I thought that a bizarre question. It was a gift, it wasn’t looted, stolen or seized. Like hell I would repatriate it. Stupidity,’ one person posted on X, formerly Twitter.
‘I was taught to return a gift was an insult or rude. This was a gift. Antiques Roadshow is such an informative show but I fear people will now hesitate to bring along anything in case they get ambushed by Fiona Bruce and her team,’ someone else shared.
Their sentiments were also shared by Professor David Abulafia, a historian from Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.
In an interview, he called the discussion ‘senseless’ in light of the historical context as Ethiopia has never asked for historic gifts to be returned.
‘Even for those who believe in returning objects, this simply doesn’t qualify because it was an open gift,’ Professor Abulafia told .
‘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?’
He added: ‘Some of these completely unhistorical demands for restitution are extraordinary, it felt like it was the answer they were expected to give.’
Haile Selassie served as Ethiopian emperor between 1930 and 1974.
In a statement to Metro.co.uk, a BBC spokesperson 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.’
Antiques Roadshow is streaming on BBC iPlayer.
