Portrait of Ethiopian royal couple Prince Asfawossen and Princess Medferiashwork
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Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – Princess Medeferiashwork Abebe, the wife of the late Crown Prince Asfawossen, has passed away on Sunday at the age of 84. The funereal ceremony was conducted at the Trinity Cathedral in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa yesterday in the presence of family members, dignitaries, and members of the Rastafarian community.
Addis Journal reports the following:
Hundreds of mourners gathered at the church to lay floral tributes where the princess was buried next to that of her mother, Wosenyelesh Mengesha, in accordance with her wishes.
The princess became one of the most popular members of the royal family, admired for her charm and her commitment for various causes.
Born in Dessie town in 1925 to her father Major General Abebe Damtew and her mother Wosenyelesh Mengesha, she began school with the private teacher, as it was the tradition with royal children then. She has studied reading and writing there before joining Etege Menen School.
During the Italian occupation, the princess was sent to Jerusalem in exile where she attended a boarding school. She returned to Ethiopia after victory. She married Crown Prince AsfaWossen, heirs to the Ethiopian throne.
She assumed various ceremonial duties and assisted her husband in various undertakings. Estifanos Menegesha, her nephew, told Addis Journal that she has been very supportive of her husband who was ruling under “the shadow Emperor HaileSelassie.” He described her as strong-willed and determined person.
A year before the Derg came to power, the princess headed to London accompanying her husband who was suffering from stroke.
After the demise of Derg, she has been coming back and forth and settled in Ethiopia three years ago. Estifanos said she was very religious who had devoted much of her time to charity works, including making financial contributions for monasteries like Gishen Maryam.
The princess was survived by three sons, Prince ZeraYakob, Princess Sihin, Princess MaryamSena and Princess SiferashBizu.