King Charles has arrived in The Bahamas at the start of an eight-day Caribbean tour, facing growing demands for an apology and reparations for Britain’s role in the transatlantic slave trade.
The 77-year-old monarch received a ceremonial welcome at Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau after stepping from the British Government’s official Voyager aircraft.
Dressed in a beige summer suit and sunglasses, the King was greeted by Governor-General Dame Cynthia Pratt, Prime Minister Philip E Davis and other dignitaries before inspecting a 96-strong Guard of Honour.
Members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force extended a Royal Salute as their bands played the Bahamian national anthem. Charles then waved to onlookers from his official car as he left the airport.
Within hours of landing, he was due to address the legacy of slavery in a speech at a youth rally, although he will stop short of offering an apology or financial compensation in line with the UK Government’s position.
The King is expected to say: “It is only right that we should acknowledge the great suffering of the past, in these islands and beyond, even as we rejoice in the successes of the present and build new opportunities for the future.”
Buckingham Palace aides have said Charles will not shy away from the issue, amid warnings from The Bahamas National Reparations Committee that he should not “come empty handed”.
The monarch’s visit comes as calls for action grow in The Bahamas and Antigua and Barbuda, two of the countries he is visiting as both King and head of the Commonwealth. The issue will also be discussed by leaders attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua this week.
Britain’s Government has acknowledged the “abhorrence” of the historic slave trade and its continuing legacy, but rejects demands for compensation on the grounds that slavery was not illegal at the time.
An official apology from the King could be viewed as creating the prospect of claims against the UK. Commonwealth secretary-general Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey has nevertheless said that an apology “wouldn’t hurt” and that the time had come for discussions about reparations.
In his address, Charles will reflect on the way Bahamian culture has developed from a painful history. Referring to Junkanoo, the carnival-style street parade with roots among enslaved people, he is expected to describe it as a source of cultural pride passed from one generation to the next.
He will also tell young Bahamians: “You have not only carried their legacy, you have nurtured and enhanced it, creatively and courageously, and we have seen tonight what a wonderful gift it is, to The Bahamas and to the world.”
The King spent much of the 10-hour flight working on his papers and speeches before beginning a series of public engagements. He will spend two nights in The Bahamas before travelling to Guyana for a brief state visit.
He will then continue to Antigua and Barbuda for the Commonwealth meeting, where he will be joined by the Queen later in the week. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is also due to attend, marking their first joint foreign outing.
The tour is Charles’s first visit to the Caribbean since becoming King and follows criticism of previous royal visits to the region. Buckingham Palace says the monarch’s programme will focus on modern partnerships and opportunities, while also acknowledging “the most shameful aspects of our past”.
