King Charles is not expected to apologise for Britain’s role in the transatlantic slave trade or offer reparations during his forthcoming Caribbean tour, despite pressure from campaigners.
The King will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Antigua and visit The Bahamas and Guyana, where the issue of slavery and its continuing legacy is expected to feature prominently.
Buckingham Palace has stressed that the King acts on the advice of the Government. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has confirmed that ministers have not advised him to apologise or pay reparations.
A Government spokesman said ministers “absolutely acknowledge” that the transatlantic trade in enslaved people was abhorrent and that its effects were horrific and continued to be felt. However, he added: “The Government has been clear that it will not pay financial reparations.”
The Government said it would continue discussions with Commonwealth partners, focusing on “meaningful, truthful, and respectful dialogue” and cooperation on education, economic development and modern partnerships.
The Bahamas National Reparations Committee has called on the King to issue a formal apology for the Crown’s links to slavery.
Its chair, Dr Niambi Hall Campbell-Dean, said: “For King Charles to come to our island and not be prepared to apologise for the wrongs of the past is unacceptable.”
Jamaica has also petitioned in the UK for the King to seek legal guidance on slavery reparations. The request is directed at him as Jamaica’s head of state and seeks clarity from the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
The Palace said the King had a long history of engaging with the subject and had previously expressed his personal sorrow over the period. A spokesman added that he had supported Commonwealth education programmes and young people through The King’s Trust.
“But as far as reparations and apologies go, that is a matter for the Government,” the spokesman said.
King Charles to address slavery legacy during Caribbean tour
The King became the first senior British royal to publicly acknowledge the “appalling atrocity” and historical stain of the transatlantic slave trade during a speech in Barbados in 2021.
He is expected to address the subject again through speeches and visits to landmarks associated with the historic slave trade, while stopping short of an apology.
The Palace said the tour would not shy away from “the darkest days of our past”, but would primarily focus on the present and future of each host country. It said opportunities would be found to renew the King’s “personal, wholehearted, and continuing commitment” to addressing enduring inequalities.
The King will visit The Bahamas from October 27 to 29 before travelling to Guyana for a two-day state visit at the invitation of the country’s president. Queen Camilla will join him in Antigua from November 1 to 4 for CHOGM.
Campaigners have argued for decades that Britain should provide reparatory justice to former colonies affected by slavery. Possible measures have included education and climate-focused programmes, although the potential cost of a reparations bill has been estimated at billions of pounds.
