Growing Demands for Royal Apology Over Slavery Legacy
King Charles III faces intensifying calls to issue a formal apology for Britain's role in transatlantic slavery, following new research that reveals the crown's extensive involvement in the brutal trade. While the monarch has previously expressed "personal sorrow" about the suffering caused by slavery, campaigners argue this falls far short of the institutional acknowledgment required.
Revelations from Historical Research
The publication of The Crown's Silence this week has brought renewed attention to the monarchy's historical connections with slavery. The book details how successive monarchs from Queen Elizabeth I to George IV actively profited from and protected the trade in enslaved African people over centuries.
Historical evidence suggests that by 1807, the British crown had become the single largest purchaser of enslaved individuals, using this human trafficking to bolster royal revenues and defend imperial interests. This systematic involvement has prompted fresh scrutiny of the institution's historical responsibilities.
Political and Campaigner Responses
Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Labour MP for Clapham and Brixton Hill and chair of the all-party parliamentary group for Afrikan reparations, emphasised that "personal sorrow" was inadequate given the scale of historical crimes. "This isn't about individuals but the monarchy as an institution," she stated, calling for both acknowledgment and concrete action to address slavery's enduring legacy.
Carla Denyer, Green Party MP for Bristol Central, described a formal apology as "long overdue," while the Runnymede Trust characterised such a move as "a welcome, symbolic first step" that must be accompanied by substantive reparative measures.
International Perspectives and Legal Obligations
Liliane Umubyeyi, director of African Futures Lab, highlighted both moral and legal imperatives, noting that slavery has been formally recognised as a crime against humanity under international law. Meanwhile, UN experts Michael McEachrane and Dominique Day stressed that addressing historical injustices was essential for building equitable futures and repairing contemporary social fractures.
Dominique Day specifically connected slavery's legacy to modern British scandals including Windrush and Grenfell, arguing that acknowledgment could create "space for repair" and move society toward "an ethic of respect, compassion, and prosperity without exploitation."
Upcoming Diplomatic Pressure Points
Later this year, King Charles is expected to face renewed demands for action when Commonwealth leaders gather in Antigua and Barbuda. Historian Brooke Newman, author of The Crown's Silence, suggested this meeting could represent a crucial moment for the monarchy to address historical responsibilities that have often been obscured by contemporary "culture wars."
As pressure mounts from multiple directions, Buckingham Palace has yet to comment on whether the institution will move beyond expressions of personal regret to issue the formal apology campaigners consider essential for meaningful reconciliation.
