The African ruler will seek the return of gold from the collection of King Charles

King Charles met Otumfuo Osei Tutu II at Buckingham Palace ahead of his coronation last May. Photo: GARETH FULLER/AFP via Getty Images

An African ruler is trying to recover gold from King Charles' collection, the Telegraph reports.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, king of the Asante people in Ghana, celebrated a landmark deal last week repatriation, in which the Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Museum lent him gold treasures captured by British forces in the 20th century.

The Telegraph can reveal that the Asante ruler will continue to push and seek the return of all ancestral gold held in Britain, including treasures from King Charles's art collection.

There are currently a number of confiscated artefacts in the Asante capital Kumasi in the capital Asante. The display is part of the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle, where the African leader stayed as a guest before the king's coronation in 2023.

Immediately after his visit to Britain, The Telegraph learned that King Asante, or «Asantehene», had begun plans to repatriate treasures taken from his ancestors, which are now scattered among a number of British collections, including at Oxford University. .

The ultimate goal is to ensure the reunification of all ceremoniously important looted treasures.

Oheneba Owusu Afriyie IV, the «Apagiahene» or prince of the Asante people and a member of the king's inner court, told The Telegraph: “That's the ultimate goal.”

He added: “Of course, that's the vision. Most Asante and Ghanaians in general hope that these artifacts will eventually return home where they truly belong.”

One of the artefacts the Asante want to repatriate is a golden trophy head taken from King Kofi Karikari, displayed at Windsor Castle The 19th century gold Asante State Sword is part of the Royal Collection

Speaking about the return from the Royal Collection and a number of British museums, Apagiahene said: “It is the ultimate goal, the possible hope that we can collect all these things.

“Why should I, as an Asante who wants to see my history, travel across the world to see her, instead of the whole world coming here to see her?”< /p>

Ivor Agyeman-Dua, academic, writer and director of the Asante King Museum, confirmed that the approach had been taken to the return of treasures from the Royal Fund, saying it would be «discussed with the participation of key players.» .

Apagahene and Mr Agyeman-Dua were speaking at the inauguration of the royal Manhyia Palace Museum in the Asante capital Kumasi, where a host of chiefs gathered along with British dignitaries to celebrate the return of stolen gold artefacts. from Asante 150 years ago.

The items, on loan from the Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Museum, were taken by the British as war reparations in 1874 after the Third Asante War and then auctioned by the Crown Jeweler to major museums to raise funds for wounded soldiers. /p>

Many of the items were gold royal regalia of sacred significance to the Asante and their ruling dynasty, and some of the 32 of these items were repatriated as part of a loan agreed with the V&A and the British Museum.< /p > Some Asante artefacts, on loan from the British Museum, are on display at the Manhya Palace Museum in Kumasi. Photo: Eddie Mulholland Golden headdress returned to Ghana as part of temporary agreement

The Telegraph reported on Sunday that the Asante king wants to keep items on loan on a permanent basis and hopes that a future Labor government will change the laws that currently prohibit their return.

The Asante also want to see more items returned, eventually on a permanent basis, and the Royal Palace Museum in Kumasi is currently being expanded to increase its capacity to keep the «house in order» for future repatriations.

The Royal Collection, held by the King on behalf of the British people, boasts a gold sword of state that was taken from King Kofi Karikari, the ruler who lost the Anglo-Asante War of 1874, and then sent to Queen Victoria.

It's on display in Windsor's Great Hall next to a golden trophy head taken from the same king as a war indemnity.

The Royal Collection told The Telegraph that the collection is kept «by the Sovereign for his successors and the nation and does not belong to the King as a private face,» adding regarding the return of the artefacts: «The King will take the advice of the Royal Collection Trust, which will consult with a range of internal and external stakeholders.»

Buckingham Palace has been approached for comment.