He was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2004 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to Ethiopian Studies in the Diplomatic Service and Overseas List.
Son of Emmeline Pankhurst's daughter, Sylvia, and Italian anarchist Silvio Corio. Because Sylvia refused to marry Corio, Emmeline never spoke to her again.
Founding director of the Institute of Ethiopian Studies, he has authored 22 books on Ethiopia.