Antiques Roadshow outrage as expert suggests 'repatriating' gifted African artefacts: 'BBC stupidity!'
Antiques Roadshow fans have slammed the show
BBC
Fiona Bruce and the rest of the Antiques Roadshow team met two granddaughters of Sir Harold Kittermaster during Sunday's episode in Crystal Palace Park, London.
Their grandfather served as the governor of British Somaliland between 1926 and 1931 and had passed down to them a golden robe former Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie had gifted their late granddad.
Keen to learn the value of the item of clothing, the pair sought the advice of Ronnie Archer-Morgan who was keen to learn more about the history of the garment.
The item was also accompanied by a letter from Selassie himself addressed to Kittermaster and the ethnic, tribal, and folk art antiques expert put a price tag of around £4,000-£5,000 on the lot.
However, while the fascinating history behind the item was enough to intrigue viewers, many were left irked by Archer-Morgan's line of questioning.
The antiques expert asked the two granddaughters: "So if there’s a call for these things to be repatriated, would you be happy to do that?"
Sir Harold Kittermaster's granddaughters brought in the artefacts
BBC
The guests said they "absolutely" would oblige but given the items were gifted to their grandfather, a number of viewers pointed out there would be no need.
The concept of repatriation involves returning an item to its country of origin but given that Selassie has gifted the robe to Archer-Morgan, many at home branded the question as "bizarre".
Taking to Twitter, one fan hit out: "Some things about the @BBC I love but the #AntiquesRoadShow not one of them.
"Maybe its producer & antiques specialists should read around a bit more before mouthing off a populist view of colonial history. Try reading #NigelBiggar."
Elsewhere, a second added: "Why did the presenter on #antiquesroadshow ask a lady if she wud b happy to have an item she owned 'repatriated' implying the item was stolen?
"It wasn't it was gifted by Salassie. He's done this b4. Typical #bbc," they fumed
Which prompted a third to reply: "I know right. He was friends with Salassie and worked with him, it was a gift!"
And a fourth hit out: "Must confess, I thought that a bizarre question. It was a gift, it wasn't looted, stolen or seized.
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Ronnie Archer-Morgan was the expert on hand to value the items
BBC
"Like hell i would repatriate it. Stupidity. #antiquesroadshow #CrystalPalace #HaileSelassie."
Professor David Abulafia, a leading historian at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, added to the furore as he told the Telegraph: "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."
He also branded the question as "crazy" and "senseless", and the BBC has since spoken out about the controversial probe.
A spokesperson told the Telegraph: "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."