The King’s tour of the Caribbean will not shy away from "the darkest days of our past,” amid discussions on colonial legacy and the ongoing impact of the transatlantic trade in slavery.
During an eight-day tour visiting The Bahamas, Guyana and Antigua and Barbuda, Charles will reflect on and renew his commitment to acknowledging "the wrongs of the past” and finding creative ways to "right inequalities that endure,” according to a Buckingham Palace spokesman.
But while the monarch has previously condemned slavery as an "atrocity” which "forever stains our history,” he will stop short of issuing an apology or offering reparations on the advice of the Government.
© Getty ImagesThe visit comes amid growing calls for the UK to make a formal apology and pay compensation for historical and ongoing harms caused by the transatlantic trade slave, a topic which is likely to be widely raised at this year’s Commonwealth Head of Government Meeting.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: "While these are primarily matters for Governments to address, His Majesty’s previous statements on them have been unequivocal.
"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.”
Charles will acknowledge the past on several occasions during the trip however, whether by visiting related landmarks or in a series of public speeches he will make.
"His Majesty, of course, always acts on the advice of his government as part of our constitutional settlement," said a Palace spokesman. "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. And His Majesty always acts on his government's advice."
© Getty Images"The government's position on reparations is well established. 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," said a Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office spokesperson.
But they continued: "The government has been clear that it will not pay financial reparations," and instead seeks to engage in "meaningful, truthful, and respectful dialogue," and "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."
During a tour designed to celebrate "communities, cultures and Nature within the Commonwealth family,” the King will spend time with the next generation, attending a Youth Rally in the Bahamas and meeting young environmentalists in Guyana.
© Tim Graham Photo Library via GetHe will visit the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, learn about conservation efforts in New Providence and watch a colourful Junkanoo parade in Nassau.
In Georgetown, Guyana, Charles will have an audience with President Irfaan Ali and attend a state reception. He will also hear about the work to preserve the country’s tropical forests, which featured in the Prime Video documentary Finding Harmony: A King’s Vision, earlier this year.
In Antigua and Barbuda, the King and Queen will attend a church service to mark Independence Day and will attend the country’s annual Independence Parade at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, where they will also meet some of the country’s cricketing legends.
© POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesWhile the King learns about nature and heritage conservation, the Queen will address the country’s efforts to end violence against women and girls and meet students taking part in the Queen’s Commonwealth Writing Competition.
The royal couple will also meet young people and community groups protecting Antigua and Barbuda’s coastline on a visit to a beach.
