In the past it has occasionally been done when deemed appropriate, so presumably the monarch’s traditional obligation is to hand on the overwhelming bulk of the collection.
On a state visit to Ghana in 1961 Queen Elizabeth II presented five Asante objects to the National Museum in Accra: two regal chairs, two stools and a state umbrella.
Four years later the queen restituted a crown and great seal during a visit to Ethiopia.
A Royal Collection spokesperson tells the Art Newspaper: “Questions concerning the restitution of objects are a matter for the trustees of the Royal Collection Trust, who take advice from a range of external bodies including government.”
The Trust might expect claims for objects from the Benin Kingdom, Asante/Ghana and Ethiopia.
