MPs, UN experts push for formal apology from King Charles on slavery legacy

MPs, experts and campaigners have urged King Charles to issue a formal apology for transatlantic slavery, following new research detailing how the British crown and Royal Navy expanded and protected the trade in enslaved Africans for centuries.

While the king has previously expressed “personal sorrow” over slavery and spoken about addressing enduring inequalities, the monarchy has never formally apologised.

A new book, The Crown’s Silence, shows that monarchs from Queen Elizabeth I to George IV profited from the slave trade to boost royal revenues and strengthen the British Empire. By 1807, the crown is believed to have been the largest purchaser of enslaved people.

Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy said expressions of sorrow were insufficient for what she described as one of humanity’s greatest crimes, stressing that accountability must come from the monarchy as an institution and be followed by action to address lasting racism and inequality.

The Runnymede Trust said a royal apology would be a symbolic first step but must be accompanied by government efforts to reform systems shaped by slavery’s legacy. Liliane Umubyeyi of African Futures Lab added that there is both a moral and legal obligation for reparations.

Green MP Carla Denyer called a formal apology “long overdue,” while UN-linked independent experts said recognition was critical for building equitable futures and repairing harm caused by colonialism and slavery.

Human rights lawyer Dominique Day noted that the legacy of slavery continues to affect modern injustices, including policing and major public scandals.

King Charles is expected to face renewed pressure later this year at the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Antigua and Barbuda, where Caribbean and African nations are set to raise demands for action on slavery’s legacy.

Historian Brooke Newman said the book aims to present historical evidence and open debate, adding that 2026 could be a key moment for the king to take concrete steps.

By Tamilla Hasanova