Sophia Desta
Princess Sophia Desta is the youngest daughter of Ras Desta Damtew and Princess Tenagnework Haile Selassie, and granddaughter of Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia. She was educated at Clarendon School for Girls in the United Kingdom together with her three sisters, Aida, Hirut Desta (Ruth) and Sebel.[1] Princess Sophia was imprisoned, mistreated and humiliated in the Alem Bekagn Kerchele prison, Addis Ababa together with her sisters, other princesses of the Imperial Family, from 1974 until 1988.[2]
Her Royal Highness Princess Sophia Desta | |||||
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Princess of Ethiopia | |||||
Born | Ethiopian Empire | 1 January 1934||||
Spouse | Captain Dereje Haile Mariam | ||||
Issue | Emebet Hannah Mariam Meherete Selassie Dereje | ||||
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House | House of Solomon | ||||
Father | Ras Desta Damtew | ||||
Mother | Princess Tenagnework | ||||
Religion | Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo |
Imperial Family of Ethiopia |
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HIH Prince Samson Fikre Selassie |
Extended family Descendants of Prince Makonnen:
Descendants of Prince Sahle Selassie: HIH Princess Mahisente Habte Mariam
Descendants of Princess Tenagnework:
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Extended family Descendants of Emperor Yohannes IV:
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She is the widow of Captain Dereje Haile Mariam, graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the U.K. [3] She married him at Addis Ababa, on 31 January 1959 (in a double wedding with her sister Princess Seble-Wengel Desta. Captain Dereje Haile Mariam born in 1937 and he was killed at Addis Ababa, at the Genuete Luel Palace while defending the Emperor against a palace coup d'etat carried out by General Mengistu Newaye, head of the Imperial bodyguard on 16 December 1960. They had an only daughter:
- Emebet Hannah Mariam Meherete Sellasie Dereje (born on February 1961, Addis Ababa). She married Lij Aklog Asfaw, son of Woizero Daremelesh and Colonel Asfaw Habte Mariam [[]] They had issue, one son:
- Lij Desta Aklog born on October 4, 1994.
Title, style and honours
Title
- 1 January 1934 - Present: Her Royal Highness Princess Sophia Desta of Ethiopia
Honours
National dynastic honours
House of Solomon: Knight Grand Cordon with Collar of the Order of the Queen of Sheba House of Solomon: Recipient of the Refugee Medal House of Solomon: Recipient of the Silver Anniversary Medal of Emperor Haile Selassie I and Empress Menen House of Solomon: Recipient of the Emperor Haile Selassie I Ruby Jubilee and 75th Birthday Medal
Foreign honours
Cambodia: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Queen Kossomak Spain: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic[4]
Ancestry
Ancestors of Sophia Desta | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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References
- "Ethiopian princess tells Llandudno pupils about prison ordeal". North Wales Live. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- "Ethiopian princess tells Llandudno pupils about prison ordeal". Daily Post, North Wales Live. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- "Emperor Haile Selassie I, Part 3". Institute for African Alternatives. Archived from the original on November 20, 2006. Retrieved 28 October 2010.
- Boletín Oficial del Estado