King Charles III recently had a meeting with artists in Leeds who took part in the Worlds Re-imagined Globes project, which looks at Britain’s role in slavery. As reported by The IndependentFiona Compton, a historian and artist from Saint Lucia, shared with Charles her design for the Peacock Palace which honors enslaved women who used poison as a means of resistance.
Compton then told the press that the king was ready to address Britain’s role in the slave trade. She said: “It’s an ongoing conversation, he says he’s ready to talk about it.” Compton continued:
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“He’s ready to have those conversations and see what work can be done. We’re not talking about reparations, it’s not just the business of the British monarchy [to talk about], it’s up to the British people to have the conversations. He agrees, it’s British history, there’s no hiding it. In the same way that we talk about the Holocaust, we should be open to talking about Britain’s involvement in the slave trade.
The conversation took center stage after Queen Elizabeth II deceased in September at the age of 96, leaving his son Charles as heir. Although various celebrities, institutions and world leaders paid tribute to the late Queen, people were quick to report the history of the British monarchy, which included colonialism and slavery.
For some, however, Charles’s words simply aren’t enough. When he and Camilla, Queen Consort, visited the city of York on Wednesday, a protester launched (unsuccessfully) at least three eggs to them and shouted, “This country was built on the blood of slaves!” Charles also faced protesters at the Queen’s funeral.
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