King Charles III Begins Caribbean Tour Amidst Calls for Slavery Apology
Nine-day visit to Antigua and Guyana unfolds as nations press for reparations and historical redress.
Sarah Connor
King Charles III has commenced a nine-day tour of the Caribbean, starting in Antigua.
Buckingham Palace confirms the tour program will not shy away from 'the darkest days of our past.' Charles has worked to 'acknowledge the wrongs of the past and to find creative ways to right inequalities that endure,' the Palace stated.
The King previously described slavery as an 'atrocity' that 'forever stains our history.' A Buckingham Palace spokesperson reiterated this stance, claiming His Majesty’s previous statements on these matters have been unequivocal.
The UK Government's established policy, however, offers no apology or reparations for slavery. The Government has not advised the King to offer an apology or reparations, consistent with this policy.
The issue of reparations, involving financial compensation or other forms of redress from slave-trading nations, will likely become a central topic. Caricom, a 23-member Caribbean bloc, announced its intention to push for reparations on the CHOGM agenda.
Jamaica has already petitioned the King to refer questions about transatlantic chattel slavery to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. A hearing on this matter is scheduled for next March.
You say you regret slavery, but your regret is not good enough. We want a full apology from you.
Mohamed Irfaan Ali claimed that moving to an apology was 'the next step.' High Priest Richmond McKinney stated, "You say you regret slavery, but your regret is not good enough. We want a full apology from you."
The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a resolution describing the transatlantic slave trade as 'the gravest crime against humanity.' Britain and other EU member states abstained from that vote.
Separately, the Church of England is divided over paying upwards of £100 million in compensation for disputed slavery links. Its 'Project Spire' is understood to be an atonement for owning shares in an 18th-century fund with slaving links, though the investment itself remains contested.
Ed Miliband, however, stated, "I don’t think reparations are the answer, and I’ve had those discussions already with some of our Commonwealth colleagues."
The UK Government’s position on reparations remains well established; it acknowledges the trade in enslaved people was abhorrent and its impact is still felt today. However, it will not pay financial reparations for historical acts that did not break international laws at the time, remaining committed to continued dialogue with Commonwealth nations.