Today, the Crown Council has abandoned its former mission of being a Government-in-exile, redefining its role as a humanitarian and cultural preservation organization representing Ethiopians, Eritreans, and their diaspora.

It originated as a constitutional body within the Ethiopian Empire, which were appointed by and advised the reigning Emperor of Ethiopia (Ge'ez: ንጉሠ ነገሥት, Nəgusä Nägäst); on occasion, its members acted on behalf of the Crown.

Most members of the council were imprisoned and executed, including its president, Prince Asrate Medhin Kassa.

The Federal Constitution of 1995 confirmed the status of the country as a republic, but Ethiopian royalists continue to operate the Crown Council.

The Ethiopian government has however continued to accord members of the Imperial family their princely titles as a matter of courtesy.