As King Charles III prepares to visit the Bahamas, calls for an apology for slavery and renewed discussions about reparations are gaining momentum across the Commonwealth. It is not known if Prime Minister Philip Davis too, will raise the issue directly with the monarch.
Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey has added her voice to those calling for an apology, saying it “wouldn’t hurt” and that “the time has come” for countries to discuss reparations.
In an interview with British media Sky News ahead of the King’s Caribbean tour, Botchwey said many Commonwealth countries had called for an apology. She argued that the form reparations should take—including financial support, concessional financing, climate-related assistance or the return of cultural artefacts, should be determined through discussions among countries.
This week, Guyana’s President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, has also urged Britain and Caribbean nations to move beyond acknowledgement towards meaningful action. He said an apology could help create an environment for open discussions, but should not be treated as the end of the process.
Ali has called for reparations discussions to address development gaps and inequalities linked to slavery, including through debt relief, development financing and investment in areas such as education and healthcare.
Where does Davis stand?
Davis has not publicly outlined whether he intends to raise slavery or reparations directly with King Charles during the Bahamas visit.
However, the Prime Minister previously called for a frank conversation about reparatory justice. Speaking to POLITICO during the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, Davis said the transatlantic slave trade had inflicted a “horrendous impact” on the African diaspora and argued that the issue was about more than an apology or money.
He said it was also about recognising and understanding the lasting cultural, mental and physical harm experienced by the descendants of enslaved people.
At the time, then-British Prime Minister Keir Starmer acknowledged that slavery was “abhorrent” but said he preferred to focus on present-day challenges and future cooperation.
What could the King say?
Buckingham Palace has indicated that the royal family will not shy away from discussing Britain’s colonial past. However, the UK government has ruled out paying reparations, while a formal apology from the King is not expected during the tour. As a constitutional monarch, Charles acts on ministerial advice in matters of government policy.
The Bahamas National Reparations Committee has called on the Royal Family not to come “empty-handed,” renewing demands for an apology and reparatory justice.
Davis has welcomed the royal visit as an opportunity to showcase Bahamian culture and hospitality. Whether reparations will be part of his discussions with the King remains unclear.