Photograph of a young Prince Alamayu (also known as 'Alemayehu', 'Alemayou', 'Alemayu' and 'Alamaiou'), seated on a box covered with a sheet. He wears robes, with a large necklace and his right hand rests on the hilt of a sword that is suspended in his belt, the curved blade extends behind him. In the left of the foreground is an Abyssinian round shield.

Prince Alamayu was brought to England by British army officer Tristam Charles Sawyer Speedy (1836–1910) following the Battle of Magdala in April 1868. He lived with Speedy on the Isle of Wight and was presented to Queen Victoria at Osborne House. The Queen took a great interest in the child and mentioned him often in her diaries. The multiple format prints of Prince Alamayu in the Royal Collection, including large format albumen photographs, cabinet cards and carte de visite, also indicate the great public interest in the orphaned prince.

In 1862, faced with ever increasing threats to his country's borders and from within his own country, King Tewodros II of Abyssinia (modern-day Ethiopia) asked for military assistance from the British. The request was ignored particularly as the British sought to foster both commercial and diplomatic relations with Tewodros' enemies. As a result, King Tewodros captured and imprisoned a British missionary followed by Charles Duncan Cameron, the British Consul, along with his staff. The hostages were eventually released during the Battle of Magdala in 1868 when Lieutenant General Sir Robert Napier led the Bombay Army to victory. Many Abyssinian artefacts were taken from Magdala fortress by the British following the battle.