Caribbean’s Call For Reparation, Independence From Britain Loudens After Queen’s Passing

The passing of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday marked the end of an era for Britain.

At the Royal Family’s castle in Balmoral, the longest-reigning monarch of Great Britain died peacefully at age 96.

News of her deteriorating health prompted the Queen’s immediate family to rush to Balmoral Castle in Scotland to be by her side.

On her passing, Elizabeth’s 73-year-old son, Charles, ascended to the throne as the monarch of the United Kingdom and the head of state of 14 other realms including Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

In the Caribbean, the news of the Queen’s passing “renewed calls from politicians and activists for former colonies in the Caribbean to remove the monarch as their head of state and for Britain to pay slavery reparations,” Reuters reported.

In an interview, a 44-year-old academic who chairs the Bahamas National Reparations Committee, Niambi Hall-Campbell, believes that the ascension of King Charles III to the throne could be “an opportunity to advance discussions of reparations for our region.”

At the summit in Kigali, Rwanda held last June, Caribbean ministers who spoke to Reuters said they “had no problem with Charles as a person, but were uncomfortable with the symbolism of a royal succession.”

Charles’ comments at the Rwanda summit about his “personal sorrow over slavery” seem to offer “some degree of hope,” according to a Jamaican reparations advocate Rosalea Hamilton.

Britain’s new king did not mention the reparations in his Kigali speech.

Some Caribbean nations have expressed their intent to separate from the monarchy. In 2021, Barbados transitioned into a Republic. Jamaica has also said it may soon follow Barbados in leaving the royal rule. Both countries remain members of the Commonwealth.