Charles III leaves Caribbean without apologising for slavery
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Bénin Web TV
King Charles III ended a nine-day tour of the Bahamas, Guyana and Antigua and Barbuda on 4 November without offering an official apology for Britain’s role in the transatlantic slave trade. He had expressed sorrow before Commonwealth leaders gathered in Saint John’s, according to Bénin Web TV.
King Charles III left Antigua and Barbuda on Wednesday 4 November without offering an official apology for the United Kingdom’s role in the transatlantic slave trade, at the end of a nine-day tour of the Bahamas, Guyana and the Caribbean archipelago. The departure of the British sovereign and Queen Camilla was marked by a ceremony at V. C. Bird International Airport.
Before Commonwealth leaders gathered in Saint John’s, Charles III had described the transatlantic slave trade as a “shameful chapter” and expressed his personal sorrow, without issuing a formal apology. The British government has agreed to open a dialogue on the consequences of the slave trade, while rejecting direct financial compensation, according to Bénin Web TV.
The royal couple delivered four speeches and took part in more than 40 official engagements during the visit, which began on 27 October in the Bahamas. In Guyana, Charles III met President Mohamed Irfaan Ali for discussions focused in particular on forests, biodiversity and indigenous communities, according to Bénin Web TV.
The departure comes after Charles III’s speech on the transatlantic slave trade, delivered on 3 November at the Commonwealth summit. It also follows Mahama’s calls for a British apology, made on 1 November.
