LONDON: King Charles will acknowledge Britain’s involvement in the transatlantic slave trade during his upcoming Caribbean tour but will not issue a formal apology, Buckingham Palace said on Friday.
Charles and Queen Camilla are due to visit the Bahamas and Guyana before travelling to Antigua and Barbuda for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), scheduled for November 1-4.
The visit comes as Caribbean and African countries continue calls for Britain and other former colonial powers to pay reparations for their role in slavery. The issue is expected to feature prominently at CHOGM.
The British government has ruled out reparations, while Buckingham Palace said apologies and reparations were matters for the government.
“There are important discussions taking place in various fora about colonial legacy and the intergenerational impact of the transatlantic trade in enslaved persons,” a palace spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added that the visit would not shy away from “the darkest days of our past” but would focus primarily on the present and future of the countries Charles visits.
Charles has previously expressed sorrow over slavery and backed research into the British monarchy’s historical links to the trade.
Last month, Jamaica formally asked Charles to seek legal advice on whether Britain should pay reparations, saying it was “encouraged” by Buckingham Palace’s engagement.
“It is important to note here the work his majesty himself has done over many years both to acknowledge the wrongs of the past and to find creative ways to right inequalities that endure,” the palace spokesperson said.
“As you would therefore expect, opportunities will be found during the visit to reflect and renew his personal, wholehearted, and continuing commitment to that process.”