King Charles will not issue a formal apology or offer compensation for the UK's historical role in the transatlantic slave trade during his upcoming Caribbean tour, Buckingham Palace has confirmed. However, the palace says the King will not "shy away" from the issue of slavery reparations, focusing instead on the "vibrant present and promising future" of the countries he visits.
Charles, who has previously described slavery as an "appalling atrocity" that "forever stains our history", will travel to The Bahamas and Guyana later this month, with the Queen joining him in Antigua and Barbuda for the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) meeting.
Palace acknowledges 'important discussions' on colonial legacy
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson acknowledged that there are "important discussions taking place" about colonial legacy and the slave trade, but the King will not be drawn into matters of reparations. As a constitutional monarch, Charles acts on the advice of his Government, whose official policy opposes financial reparations and a formal apology.
The spokesperson said: "The visit programme will therefore not shy away from 'the darkest days of our past', as His Majesty has described them, but - in keeping with the wishes of our host nations - it will principally be oriented to the vibrant present and promising future of each country, with visit programmes developed in close consultation with their governments to reflect their individual priorities."
They added: "His Majesty, of course, always acts on the advice of his government as part of our constitutional settlement. He has a long history of engaging on this particular issue and all of the things that he has said at CHOGM and elsewhere in the past, about his personal sorrow, about this particular period of our history, are worth repeating.
"And it's not just about what His Majesty has said, it's about what he's done: the personal support for Commonwealth education programmes since the last CHOGM, and his support, over many decades, for young people through The King’s Trust.
"This shows that he has always engaged on ways in which the inequalities of the past can be righted. But as far as reparations and apologies go, that is a matter for the government."
Tour itinerary and key themes
Charles will start his eight-day trip in the Bahamas on October 27, with highlights including a traditional Junkanoo parade, attending a youth rally in Clifford Park, and visiting a key nature site to hear about conservation work. Arriving in Guyana on October 29, the visit will focus on marking 60 years of close bilateral relations since independence and strengthening trade partnerships. Conservation will be a key theme, with the King hearing about rainforest conservation and mangrove restoration.
The Queen, who doesn't routinely join the King on foreign trips, will reunite with her husband in Antigua and Barbuda for the final leg. The couple will officially open the 28th CHOGM and mark the country's Independence Day on November 1 by attending the annual Independence Parade on the first of three days of engagements. They will have the opportunity to meet sporting legends, including cricketing stars who have contributed to Antigua and Barbuda's sporting heritage.
Separately, the Queen will attend a session of the Women's Forum on ending violence against women and girls and meet students participating in a Commonwealth writing workshop at a local school. The core themes of the autumn tour are celebrating individual communities and cultures, sustainability and the environment, and youth empowerment.
Government stance on reparations
The King, who continues to receive treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer, will conduct around 30 engagements over the course of the three official visits.
An FCDO spokesperson said: "The government absolutely acknowledges that the transatlantic trade in enslaved people was abhorrent, and that the impacts of that were horrific and do endure to today. The government has been clear that it will not pay financial reparations.
"The government is committed to continue dialogue with Commonwealth partners, and, indeed, the Prime Minister, at the time, committed to that again at the last CHOGM, to meaningful, truthful, and respectful dialogue, and also, we're committed to working with Commonwealth partners to understand the legacies of the past and to work with them, to build modern, forward looking partnerships that are in all countries’ benefits."
