Kings Charles and Camilla to visit Bahamas and Guyana

King Charles III of England and his wife Queen Camilla will visit the Bahamas and Guyana. The couple will then travel to Antigua and Barbuda for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) on 1-4 November this year.

The visit comes at a time when some Caribbean and African countries are demanding that Britain and other colonial powers pay reparations for their role in the slave trade. The debate is expected to feature prominently at the CHOGM meeting as well.

While the British government refused to pay compensation, Charles, who also holds the title of head of state of some Caribbean countries, including the Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda, had previously expressed his "sadness" for slavery.

NO APOLOGY

A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said: "Important discussions are being held on various platforms about the colonial legacy of the slave trade and its ongoing effects across generations."

The palace spokesman stated that the visit program will not avoid the period that Charles described as "the darkest days of our past", but will focus mainly on the vibrant present and promising future of these countries in line with the demands of the host countries. "It is important here to highlight the work his majesty has done over the years to acknowledge past wrongs and find creative ways to address the inequalities that continue today," the spokesman said, adding that compensation and apology issues were the government's responsibility.

CARRIED 3.2 MILLION SLAVES

European traders kidnapped millions of Africans and sold them into slavery from the 15th to the 19th centuries. It is estimated that England was responsible for the transportation of approximately 3.2 million slaves. This makes England the second most active European country in the slave trade, after Portugal.

As president of the Commonwealth of Nations, which consists of 56 countries and has a population of about 2.7 billion, Charles also supported research into the monarchy's historical ties to the slave trade.

The Jamaican government last month formally asked Charles to seek a legal opinion on whether Britain should pay compensation. The Jamaican government also stated that it was "pleased" with Buckingham's approach to the issue.