Prince Dejatch Alamayou (1861-1879) was the orphaned son of the Ethiopian emperor Tewodros II (Theodore) and his second wife, Queen Woyzaro Terunesh. Tewodros committed suicide just before British forces captured his fortress at Maqdala (Magdala) in April 1868. The Queen died the same year whilst being escorted to her native province of Semyen. On her request the Prince was brought to England under the guardianship of Captain Speedy, an army officer who had spent time in Abyssinia and spoke Amharic. Speedy took Alamayou to the Isle of Wight where he was introduced to Queen Victoria, whose family spent summers on the island. The Prince made a strong impression on Victoria and, with her support, received an English education. His death of pleurisy at the age of eighteen was described by the Queen as ‘too sad’.

This carte de visite produced by the London Stereoscopic & Photographic Company reflects the high level of British interest in the orphan African prince. Images presenting Alamayou as a melancholy and romantic figure were widely available in the form of cabinet cards and cartes de visite both at the time of his arrival in England and following his death in 1879.