LBC presenter Nick Ferrari has rejected calls for King Charles to issue a formal apology for Britain's role in the transatlantic slave trade, clashing with John Dower, a descendant of a slave owner, during Wednesday's (28 October) instalment of the show.
The debate followed recent demands for the monarch to apologise during his Caribbean tour. Ferrari argued: "Every opportunity to beat the living daylights out of the United Kingdom seems to be taken."
Ferrari's Defence of Modern Britons
Dower pointed out that when Jamaica left in 1962, "education was in a terrible state. The infrastructure was in a terrible state - 80% of people couldn't read and write." Ferrari fired back: "It's not the King's fault, is it?"
Dower acknowledged that Charles was not at fault "directly," but noted he has a "great responsibility as a leader." Ferrari responded: "Why should today's Britons be apologising? In my case, my dad wasn't even born here. My grandfather ran restaurants in Switzerland. Now, for all I know, he didn't pay his taxes in Switzerland - I have no idea. Why have I got to apologise to the Swiss Government for something my grandfather did?"
Dower Clarifies His Position
Dower laughed: "Nick, I'm not asking you directly to apologise." Ferrari declared: "But you want him to apologise on my behalf, the King? Well, I don't want to apologise."
He added: "I had no bloody involvement, so I'm not going to apologise for something which I… God knows I spend my life apologising all the time. I've been married a few times. It's a nightmare! I never stop apologising."
King Charles' Caribbean Tour
As Dower reiterated that he wasn't asking Ferrari to apologise directly, Ferrari explained that, as the King's "subject," he doesn't want the monarch to "apologise on his behalf," adding: "God save the King!"
King Charles' nine-day tour of the Caribbean commenced in the Bahamas on Tuesday (October 27). Following his arrival, the 77-year-old said it's "only right" to acknowledge the "great suffering and injustices of the past in these islands and beyond."
Prior to his trip, Buckingham Palace made it clear that the King would not formally apologise for Britain's role in the slave trade. A spokesperson said: "There are important discussions taking place in various fora about colonial legacy and the intergenerational impact of the transatlantic trade in enslaved persons."
The spokesperson added: "While these are primarily matters for governments to address, His Majesty's previous statements on them have been unequivocal, describing them as an 'atrocity' which 'forever stains our history'. 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."
