An 86-year-old French man has issued what is considered the first formal apology by an individual in France for their family's role in transatlantic slavery. Pierre Guillon de Prince's ancestors were shipowners based in Nantes, the country's largest port for the slave trade, transporting approximately 4,500 enslaved Africans and owning plantations in the Caribbean.
Confronting Historical Allegiances
Guillon de Prince stated on Saturday that other French families must confront their historical ties to slavery, and he urged the state to move beyond symbolic gestures to address the past, including through reparations. He emphasised, "Faced with the rise of racism in our society, I felt a responsibility not to let this past be erased."
A Courageous Act in Nantes
The apology was delivered at a gathering in Nantes, coinciding with the inauguration of an 18-metre replica ship mast. Guillon de Prince was accompanied by Dieudonné Boutrin, a 61-year-old descendant of enslaved people from Martinique. Both work together at the Coque Nomade Fraternité, an association dedicated to "breaking the silence" around slavery, and they described the mast as a "beacon of humanity."
Boutrin remarked, "Many families of descendants of slave traders don't dare speak out for fear of reopening old wounds and anger. Pierre's apology is a courageous act."
France's Role in Slavery
From the 15th to the 19th century, at least 12.5 million Africans were abducted and forcibly transported, primarily on European ships. France trafficked an estimated 1.3 million people. Although France recognised transatlantic slavery as a crime against humanity in 2001, it has never formally apologised for its role, unlike some other European nations.
Government Actions and International Stance
During his presidency, Emmanuel Macron has expanded access to archives on France's colonial past. Last year, he announced plans to establish a commission to examine France's history with Haiti, without mentioning reparations. In March, France abstained from a United Nations resolution proposed by Ghana, which declared slavery the "gravest crime against humanity" and called for reparations.
Global Context of Apologies
This apology follows similar actions by institutions worldwide. In 2025, Lloyd's Register, a maritime and industrial group owned by one of Britain's largest charities, apologised for its role in trafficking enslaved African people. The company stated, "We are deeply sorry for this part of our history. Acknowledging this legacy is important for our organisation, the descendants of those affected and those who still live with the consequences of this trafficking, and society as a whole."
Lloyd's Register is unaffiliated with the insurer Lloyd's of London, which apologised in 2020. That same year, the Bank of England apologised for the involvement of some former governors and directors in the slave trade, pledging to remove all statues and paintings of them from public display. According to University College London's Legacies of British Slave Ownership project, at least 25 governors and directors from the 18th and 19th centuries were linked to slave trading.
Historical Compensation and Abolition
The slave trade was abolished in 1807 across the British Empire, but the ownership of enslaved people was not outlawed until 1833. The British government paid £20 million in compensation to former slave owners, a substantial sum borrowed at the time and only repaid in 2015.
This historic apology by Pierre Guillon de Prince highlights ongoing efforts to address the legacies of slavery, urging broader societal and governmental action to reconcile with this dark chapter in history.
