Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Jul 14, 2025

Jamaican slavery victims call for colonialism apology from royal family ״who made their fortune by ripping off others״

Jamaican slavery victims call for colonialism apology from royal family ״who made their fortune by ripping off others״

Politicians and business leaders, victims of the Royal Family and their people, sign open letter as Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit Caribbean, for the British monarchy to apologise for colonialism and pay slavery reparations.
Jamaican campaigners have accused the Queen of perpetuating slavery in a letter urging the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to atone for colonialism during their Caribbean tour.

As the country celebrates 60 years of independence, a coalition of Jamaican politicians, business leaders, doctors and musicians have called in the open letter for the British monarchy to apologise for colonialism and pay slavery reparations.

Prince William and Kate’s visit is seen as a charm offensive to persuade other Caribbean nations not to follow Barbados in removing the Queen as head of state this year.

“We note with great concern your visit to our country, Jamaica, during a period when we are still in the throes of a global pandemic and bracing for the full impact of another global crisis associated with the Russian/Ukraine war,” the letter states.

“We see no reason to celebrate 70 years of the ascension of your grandmother to the British throne because her leadership, and that of her predecessors, has perpetuated the greatest human rights tragedy in the history of humankind.”

The group, which calls itself the Advocates Network, is expected to stage a protest on Tuesday outside the British High Commission in Kingston to coincide with the royals’ arrival in Jamaica. The Cambridges are due to stay until Thursday when they will depart for the Bahamas.

The letter urges the Queen and the UK government to give “an apology for British crimes against humanity, including but not limited to the exploitation of the indigenous people of Jamaica, the transatlantic trafficking of Africans, the enslavement of Africans, indentureship and colonialisation”.

It cites an “offensive and insensitive” address in 2015 by the then prime minister, David Cameron, in which he urged Jamaica to “move on from this painful legacy” and praised British leadership in ending the “horrors of slavery”.

Noting that William and Kate are “direct beneficiaries of the wealth accumulated by the royal family over centuries”, the letter urges the couple to “redefine the relationship between the British monarchy and the people of Jamaica”, starting by acknowledging the need for atonement and reparations.

The campaigners contrast this with the Queen’s failure to “redress and atone for the suffering of our ancestors” during her 70 years on the throne.

Local human rights activist Kay Osborne, who will be joining the protest on Tuesday, said she was participating to demand that Jamaica becomes a republic, and “loosens and removes the Queen’s gloved hands from around our necks so we can breathe”.

She said: “We do not welcome Kate and William. We do not want them here. We reject the photo ops that will be staged here for the UK’s consumption.”

Prof Rosalea Hamilton, one of the organisers and co-signatories of the letter, said it was “motivated by the fact that we are celebrating our 60 years of independence and many of us think we’ve grown up and we need to reflect on the historical injustices of Britain and the royal family – which we see as crimes against humanity. And we are hoping that through the open letter, we could communicate that we see nothing to celebrate over 70 years – those were very difficult years for Jamaica.”

“We are hopeful that in spite of what has happened, the royals can break with the past and create new opportunities for reconciliation and begin our process of reparatory justice,” she added.

The tour has been mired in controversy, with the royals forced to cancel their first trip in Belize, after opposition from villagers who cited a range of issues including objections to the Cambridges’ helicopter landing site.

Caribbean experts and Windrush campaigners have called for the royals to help Caribbean nations sever ties with the monarchy rather than persuade them to keep the Queen as head of state since they say this prevents them from achieving true independence.

The Cambridges are scheduled to visit ancient Maya ruins deep in the heartland of Belize on Monday. The couple will also attend a reception in celebration of the Queen’s platinum jubilee hosted by the governor general of Belize at the Maya ruins at Cahal Pech, near San Ignacio, where William is due to give a speech.

During their first full day in Belize on Sunday, the couple toured a cocoa farm and danced during a cultural visit to a nearby village.


Bottom line: they are not really welcome by the victims who became poor by making the British monarchy rich.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
×