Buckingham Palace: Charles Won't Apologize But Will Not Avoid Slavery Issue During Caribbean Tour

Buckingham Palace said on Friday that King Charles will not avoid addressing Britain's role in the transatlantic slave trade during his tour of the Caribbean region later this month, but he will not formally apologize for "the darkest days of our past," as he described it.

Charles and his wife Queen Camilla will visit The Bahamas and Guyana before heading to Antigua and Barbuda, where they will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting scheduled from November 1 to 4 of this year.

The trip comes amid growing demands from Caribbean nations and African countries for Britain and other colonial powers to pay reparations for their involvement in slavery, and the issue is likely to be prominent at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

The British government has ruled out paying any reparations, although Charles, who remains head of state in several Caribbean nations including The Bahamas and Antigua and Barbuda, has previously expressed regret over slavery.

A palace spokesperson said that matters of reparations and apologies are within the remit of the government.

The spokesperson added: "Important discussions are taking place across various forums regarding the colonial legacy and the intergenerational impact of the transatlantic trade in enslaved people," noting that the visit comes at a significant time in relations between Britain and Caribbean nations.

He continued: "Therefore, the itinerary will not avoid 'the darkest days of our past,' as His Majesty described them, but in line with the wishes of the host nations, it will primarily focus on the vibrant present and promising future of each country."

Between the 15th and 19th centuries, European traders abducted at least 12.5 million Africans and sold them, with Britain responsible for transporting an estimated 3.2 million people, making it the second most active European nation after Portugal.

Charles, who heads the Commonwealth of Nations comprising 56 countries mostly former British colonies with a population of about 2.7 billion, has supported research into the monarchy's specific historical links to the slave trade.

The Jamaican government officially requested last month that he seek legal advice on whether Britain should pay reparations, stating it was "encouraged" by Buckingham Palace's engagement.

The palace spokesperson said: "It is important to note here the work His Majesty himself has done over many years to acknowledge the wrongs of the past and find innovative ways to address continuing inequalities."

He added: "Therefore, as expected, opportunities will arise during the visit for reflection and renewal of his full and ongoing personal commitment to this process."

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland told Reuters in February that she expects Commonwealth members to make progress toward initiating negotiations on reparations.