Prince William Tells Jamaicans “Slavery Should Never Have Happened”

Prince William

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are continuing on their Caribbean tour, despite protests in Jamaica. However, on Wednesday night, Prince William addressed the issue of the transatlantic slave trade, largely echoing the statement that his father, Prince Charles, made in Barbados in November when that island became a republic. Prince William was speaking at a dinner at King’s House, hosted by Jamaica’s Governor General, Patrick Allen. The prince said that he agrees with his father that slavery was “abhorrent and it should never have happened.” He also expressed his “profound sorrow” and noted that while the pain of slavery runs deep, Jamaica continues to forge its future with determination, courage and fortitude. The remarks came the day after protesters in Kingston demanded that Great Britain apologize for the enslavement of Africans and pay reparations to their descendants. Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness said earlier this week that the royal couple are direct beneficiaries of the royal family’s wealth accumulation due to the profits from slavery over the centuries. The visit to Jamaica has also raised the issue of republicanism, with PM Holness saying Jamaica intends to follow Barbados in removing the Queen as their titular ruler.  Jamaica gained its independence in 1962 but had been a colony of Great Britain since 1655. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived in the Bahamas today. It is their last stop of their three-country tour marking the Queen’s platinum jubilee.