King Charles On Slave Trade: Britian’s Role ‘Should Not Be Hidden’
While meeting with artists in Leeds who had taken part in the Worlds RE-imagined Globes project, King Charles III said he believes Britain's role in the slave trade should not be hidden, according to an artist and historian who knows him.
The Independent reports that Fiona Compton, a St. Lucian artist and historian, showed him her Palace of the Peacock design which pays homage to enslaved women who used poison to resist.
After the tour, Compton told reporters that the King was ready to discuss Britian’s role in the slave trade, which is what the Worlds project specializes in.
Compton, whose father was prime minister of St. Lucia, said: “It’s an ongoing conversation, he says he is ready to speak on it. He is ready to have these conversations and see what work can be done.”
“We are not talking about reparations, this is not solely something for the British monarchy [to talk about], this is for the British people to have the conversations,” she added. “He agrees, this is British history, it should not be hidden. In the same way we are speaking about the Holocaust, we should be open to speaking about Britain’s involvement in the slave trade.”
The Royal Family has never issued a formal apology for slavery. Additionally, there are currently 15 countries that recognize Charles as head of state. He has previously addressed this, saying, "The Commonwealth contains within it countries that have had constitutional relationships with my family, some that continue to do so, and increasingly those that have had none. I want to say clearly, as I have said before, that each member's constitutional arrangement, as republic or monarchy, is purely a matter for each member country to decide."
Earlier this year, in a trip to Jamaica, Prince William, Charles’ son, described the slave trade as “abhorrent” and expressed “profound sorrow,” but, similar to his father, did not apologize for his ancestors’ role in it. Their visit was meant as pushback from local protesters calling to move away from colonial ties to the United Kingdom.
