were made to share a former storage room in the precincts of the notorious Akaki Prison known as "Alem Bekagn" which translates to "I am done with the world". They shared mattresses on the floor and were forced to endure the light of a single light bulb that was never turned off during their entire imprisonment. Years of campaigning by their friends and relatives as well as human rights and humanitarian organizations around the world had little effect in convincing the Derg regime to release the women of the Imperial family. The Princesses were suddenly and unexpectedly released from prison in September 1988, followed a year later by the men of the family. After their release, Princess Aida resumed her interrupted family life with her husband and children in exile. She returned to Ethiopia after the fall of the Derg and split her time between the suburbs of Washington, D.C. and Addis Ababa. She died on January 15, 2013, in Alexandria, Virginia. Patronages President of the Ethiopian Women's Welfare Association Honorary President of the African Services Committee (New York) Honours National dynastic honours House of Solomon: Knight Grand Cordon with Collar of the Order of the Queen of Sheba House of Solomon: Recipient of the Refugee Medal House of Solomon: Recipient of the Emperor Haile Selassie I Coronation Medal House of Solomon: Recipient of the Silver Anniversary Medal of Emperor Haile Selassie I and Empress Menen House of Solomon: Recipient of the Emperor Haile Selassie I Ruby Jubilee and 75th Birthday Medal Foreign honours : Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold II : Grand Cross of the Order of the Southern Cross : Grand Cross of the Order of the White Lion : Grand Cross of the Order of the Volta Greek Royal Family: Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Beneficence Ancestry References Sources Ethiopian nobility Aida Desta Aida Desta People educated at Clarendon School for Girls 1927 births 2013 deaths Ethiopian anti-communists Grand Crosses of the Order of Beneficence (Greece) Recipients of the Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold II Grand Crosses of the Order of the White Lion Recipients of the Order of the Volta