Charles acknowledges slavery’s suffering during Bahamas visit

King Charles III acknowledged the suffering and injustices of slavery during a youth rally in Nassau, while stopping short of an apology or commitment to reparations as he visited the Bahamas amid renewed calls for redress. Charles said it was right to recognize the past suffering in the islands and beyond. He also described some of what is joyful and hopeful in Bahamian culture as having been born out of darkness. He said the legacy of slavery would be discussed at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda. The Bahamas National Reparations Committee said his remarks fell short of what justice requires. It called on him to acknowledge the monarchy’s role, issue a formal apology and set out steps to remedy past wrongs. The committee also rejected his description of Bahamian culture, saying it arose from agency and the will to survive, rather than simply from suffering. Calls for an apology and reparations have accompanied Charles’s Caribbean tour. Protesters in Nassau also demanded reparations during his visit. The British government has ruled out an apology and reparations, and constitutional-law expert Craig Prescott said decisions on reparations...