- King Charles begins nine-day tour of the Bahamas, Guyana and Antigua and Barbuda
- Guyana’s president says an apology for slavery is “the next step”
- Commonwealth chief says it “wouldn’t hurt” for the King to apologise
- CHOGM summit in Antigua runs from November 1 to 4
KING CHARLES begins a sensitive tour of the Caribbean on Tuesday, overshadowed by calls for an apology and reparations for the transatlantic slave trade.
The 77-year-old monarch, who is receiving treatment for cancer, will visit three countries in nine days. He will travel alone to the Bahamas and Guyana before being joined by Queen Camilla in Antigua and Barbuda, where he will address the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) from November 1 to 4.
Reform UK Visa Ban Plan Over Slavery Reparations Row
Buckingham Palace said the tour would “not shy away from ‘the darkest days of our past’”, the King’s own description of the slave trade.
‘The next step’
Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali, who will meet the King during his visit, told ITV News that recognising the “darkest days” was only a “first step”.
“Now, moving to the apology is the next step,” Ali said, accusing Britain of having “exploited the region”, “destroyed lives” and “created underdevelopment”.
Last month Jamaica, where Charles is head of state, filed a petition in an appeals court in London to advance its push for reparations for the African ancestors who suffered under slavery.
Modern monarchs have expressed varying degrees of remorse for Britain’s central role in the slave trade, but none has formally apologised, and the UK government has resisted the idea of financial compensation.
In 2022, Prince William and the Princess of Wales were met with anti-monarchy protests and calls for reparations during a visit to Jamaica.
Commonwealth backing
Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey told Sky News it “wouldn’t hurt” for the King to apologise and that the “time has come” to discuss reparations, whether financial or otherwise.
Healing the wounds of history
She told AFP that leaders “may” discuss reparatory justice at the summit in St John’s, and that the Commonwealth would support countries in those talks.
Climate focus
The palace said the tour was an opportunity to look ahead and tackle issues such as climate change. The King will visit a coral restoration project in Antigua and Barbuda and rainforest conservation work in Guyana, meet young leaders, and attend Antigua and Barbuda’s independence celebrations.
“Many of these countries that are affected by climate are not polluters, and yet they feel the brunt of the effects of climate,” Botchwey said.
(With inputs from agencies)
