Exclusive feature article on Princess Lissan Selassie, posted on EVIE Magazine, ✍🏾By Hana Tilksew

Exclusive: Meet Lissie Sellasie, American-Born Princess Of Ethiopia

Lissie Sellassie, great-great-granddaughter of Emperor Haile Sellassie I, opens up to Evie Magazine in an exclusive interview about her history, her future, and participating in the world’s most famous debutante ball.

Living under the radar in northern California is a real-life princess. If you go by traditional etiquette, she is Her Imperial Highness. If you go by her birth certificate, she is Lissan Teferi Sellasie. But as she herself tells me, she prefers to be known simply as “Lissie.”

I had the pleasure of chatting with Lissie about our shared Ethiopian heritage (and current California girl status), her interest in science and philanthropy, participating in the world’s most famous debutante ball, and what she hopes will come next.

An Ancient Lineage

As casual as her nickname is, Lissie’s surname is inescapably grand. In the Ethiopian language of Amharic, “Sellasie” means “Trinity” in reference to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It was chosen for the family by Lissie’s great-great-grandfather, who took the name Haile Sellasie (“power of the Trinity”) to mark a truly grand occasion – his ascension as Emperor of Ethiopia.

Haile Sellasie was the last reigning monarch of the Solomonic Dynasty, a millennia-old royal line claiming descendence from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. The popularly accepted belief that Ethiopia’s rulers descended from the House of David made its emperors highly revered in the Orthodox Christian country.

But the tides changed in 1974, when Haile Sellasie was overthrown by the communist Derg regime. Many members of the imperial family were subsequently imprisoned or killed by the communists, but some were able to escape, living abroad in exile until the Derg fell in 1991.

Among the lucky few who escaped the Derg was Crown Prince Asfa Wossen (later declared Emperor Amha Sellasie in exile), who found refuge in London and then in the United States. His eldest daughter, Princess Edjig-Ayehu, had a son named Prince Yisehak, who had a daughter named Princess Lissan. Now turning 22 years old, Lissie is definitely conscious of her unique family history.

“I knew about him as a kid,” she says of Haile Sellasie, “but I didn’t conceptualize it until high school when people would recognize my last name. It didn’t really hit me until that age.” In Lissie’s words, it was “pretty conflicting” to realize that she was royalty. “I mean, I’m from America. I’ve grown up here. I’ve had a pretty regular American life, so hearing people call me a princess felt a little awkward.”

In true Ethiopian fashion, Lissie is as modest as they come. She “didn’t really tell” any of her friends about her family history for a while. While “people are curious,” she’s not interested in making a fuss about it.
Don’t think Lissie takes her title for granted, however – she takes noblesse oblige very seriously.

“It made me realize that I have a responsibility,” she says of her background. “I want to represent my family well. I do everything [thinking] in the back of my mind, ‘Okay, people are expecting this of me…be mindful of this. It made me more aware of how people view me.”

With cascading dark hair and the elegant features distinctive of Ethiopia’s highlands, Lissie is certainly believable as royalty – but don’t bother asking her what it’s like to be a princess. “I never know what to say,” she laughs. “I’ve had so many people ask that.
For the most part, I think l’ve grown to be comfortable in it. I also have a great support system, so l don’t ever feel alone or confused. I can always talk to my parents.”

How does she relate to Ethiopia as both a princess and a child of the diaspora? “I think I feel the same as any other person [of Ethiopian descent],” Lissie says. “It feels like home. Everyone’s family. We’re very, very traditional.” She last visited her motherland in December 2022, a trip that she looks back on fondly.

Although she doesn’t live in Ethiopia, Lissie remains connected to her roots. She reads, writes, and speaks Amharic fluently. Her mother taught the language to Lissie and her older sister Edjig-Ayehu at a young age, and Lissie wants to do the same for her own descendants. “I feel like once you stop [practicing Amharic], it ends with you. I do my part in keeping the culture alive.”

Being a Modern Princess

If all you know about Lissie is that she’s a princess, you might assume she lives in a castle or gets waited on hand and foot. But the feudal days of the Solomonic Dynasty are long gone, and Lissie’s life is relatively normal. She describes herself primarily as “a girl in my early 20s figuring it out.” She adds, “I do want a private, quiet life. I think I prefer that. I don’t think I would really capitalize on my family name. I don’t feel comfortable flaunting [it].”

While Lissie doesn’t see her title as a big deal, not everyone is so casual about it. Being who she is comes with a certain level of attention, particularly from the passionate “royal watchers” of the internet. Sometimes that attention is flattering, but sometimes it’s more peculiar.

There’s one social media account in particular, dedicated to all the hot young royals of the globe, that loves matching Lissie with princes they believe would make “suitable” marriages. One post pairs her with a prince of Bulgaria; another, with a prince of Greece. Does she get freaked out when people suggest that she marry a stranger? “Honestly, I did at first, but it doesn’t bother me as much now. I try to take it with a grain of salt.” Although, Lissie concedes, “[The person behind the account] definitely does his research.”

When I ask Lissie if she thinks any of the princes she’s been shipped with are attractive, she bursts into laughter. “I don’t know, maybe? It’s a little bit awkward to be shipped with somebody l’ve never met. I sometimes think, what if I actually meet them? But the person that does this has good intentions. It’s not just me [featured on the page] – it’s other royals too.”

Unlike online matchmakers, Lissie doesn’t spend her time musing about princes. Right now, she’s focusing her energy on looking at master’s programs. She recently graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz in just three years with a B.S. in molecular, cell, and developmental biology. While she originally planned to pursue medicine, Lissie is now shifting her sights towards lab research.

“I think I’ve just always been interested in science, healthcare, helping people…. It would be great to one day have a clinic in Ethiopia,” she says wistfully. “That would be a dream.”

A High Society Debut in Paris

Lissie’s public profile exploded following her appearance at Le Bal des Débutantes, an event held yearly in Paris and widely recognized as the most exclusive and international debutante ball in the world. Last year’s ball was covered by Vogue, Tatler, and Business Insider (to name a few), serving as Lissie’s first introduction to major media exposure. “People started to take me more seriously,” she recalls.

Hundreds of years ago, an event like Le Bal would’ve been an opportunity to parade eligible young ladies in front of potential suitors. But in the 21st century, it’s all about charity, fashion, and networking. Many have tried to buy their way into Le Bal, but none have succeeded. According to Ophélie Renouard, the event’s founder, “It costs nothing. I invite people because I find them interesting.”

Lissie was presented as part of Le Bal’s 2023 class alongside other notable names like Archduchess IIdikó of Austria (a fellow royal) and Countess Lara Cosima (everyone’s favorite aristocrat/TikTok star hybrid). She wore a billowing Lanvin gown and a necklace from the V MUSE vintage collection.

What made Lissie want to be a debutante in a time when many people see the concept as outdated? At first, she too “didn’t know that there was such a modern version of debutante balls.” She wasn’t just attracted to Le Bal by the glitz and glam, but by its emphasis on charity: “I found interest in that because I want to do philanthropic work.” In the end, Lissie says, “I was delighted to receive Ophélie’s invitation. I guess I just couldn’t say no. I was humbled to be the first Ethiopian debutante at Le Bal.”
Once she accepted, things didn’t fall into place instantly. Over a year stretched between Lissie’s initial invitation and the actual night of the ball. The weeks prior to the big day were full of gown fittings, waltz practice, and photoshoots. Lissie’s schedule was “jam-packed,” she says, but it was “a privilege.”

Le Bal took place at the opulent Shangri-La Paris, a world-class hotel that has hosted the event for years. The debutantes were escorted into the ball on the arms of their dashing cavaliers (Lissie’s cavalier was Harper Peck, grandson of actor Gregory Peck) while their names and accomplishments were announced to the room. The debutantes, cavaliers, and guests then took to the floor and danced the night away.

“Seeing the extent of [Le Bal], I was pretty amazed,” Lissie admits. But she didn’t let nerves get to her, reminding herself that she’d been prepping too long to get anxious on the day. “I was curious about the other debutantes and how I would get along with them,” she adds, “but they were all so lovely. I still keep in touch.”

After all the pomp and circumstance, Le Bal came to a close and Lissie returned to her everyday life in California. “It honestly felt like a dream,” she says, reminiscing on that magical evening in Paris. “Ophélie put together one of the most phenomenal events I’ve been a part of. It’s a privilege that I don’t take lightly.”

What’s Next for Lissie?

Following Le Bal, Lissie suddenly became the object of public fascination. Her then-private Instagram account was flooded with follow requests. Fashion and gossip influencers posted TikToks about her.
Someone even approached her mother in a store and asked if Lissie was her daughter.

As a self-identified introvert, this level of attention was new territory for Lissie. “I’ve always been private,” she says. But now that she has a public platform, she wants to harness it usefully. While she isn’t exactly sure what she wants her personal brand to be yet, she wants to focus on making a difference, especially in the realm of healthcare.

Will Lissie continue making appearances in high society?”I think I would be open to it,” she says. While she’s grateful to have experienced Le Bal, Lissie’s current focus is on creating an impact in her community and the world. “I definitely want to be an inspiration for young girls. I want to be known for giving back to people, whether it be in my career path or philanthropic work.”

EVIE Magazine
By Hana Tilksew Jul 31st 2024