Prosper Okoye
Pressure is growing on King Charles III to issue a formal apology for Britain’s role in the transatlantic slave trade, following new research into the monarchy’s historic links to slavery.
The calls come after the publication of a book, The Crown’s Silence, which says British monarchs from Queen Elizabeth I to King George IV benefited from the trade in enslaved Africans.
The book argues that the crown used slavery to build wealth and expand British power. It says that by 1807 the monarchy had become “one of the largest buyers of enslaved people”.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelAlthough King Charles has previously expressed what he called “personal sorrow” over slavery, campaigners say this does not go far enough.
Bell Ribeiro-Addy, a Labour MP and chair of the all-party parliamentary group on Afrikan reparations, said: “This isn’t about individuals but the monarchy as an institution. What is needed is not just an apology, but an honest acknowledgement of this history and action to address its lasting legacy.”
She described slavery as “one of the greatest crimes against humanity”.
The Runnymede Trust, a race equality think tank, said a royal apology would be a “welcome first step”, but warned it must be followed by real change.
“Reparations are not about blame or punishment,” the group said. “They are about recognising how the legacies of slavery still shape our economic and social systems.”
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Similar calls have come from international groups. Liliane Umubyeyi, director of African Futures Lab, said there was both a moral and legal duty to act.
“Slavery is recognised in international law as a crime against humanity,” she said. “Recognition alone is not enough.”
The issue is expected to be raised later this year when King Charles meets leaders from Caribbean and African countries at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
Historian Brooke Newman, the author of The Crown’s Silence, said 2026 could be a turning point. “This could be the moment for the King to take meaningful action,” she said.
Prosper Okoye is a Correspondent and Research Writer at Prime Business Africa, a Nigerian journalist with experience in development reporting, public affairs, and policy-focused storytelling across Africa
