Buckingham Palace says King Charles won’t meet with Jamaican government officials to discuss possibility of Britain paying reparations for slavery
King Charles III reportedly won’t be meeting with Jamaican government officials over the possibility of England paying reparations for slavery.
According to Buckingham Palace, His Majesty will not personally receive a petition linked to legal options for the country’s request.
Buckingham Palace says Charles won’t meet with Jamaican government officials to discuss possibility of Britain paying reparations for slavery
In a statement to Newsweek, The Firm addressed the upcoming meeting of Jamaican leaders in the U.K., where they will ask the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, a court of appeal for Commonwealth countries, to hear their request for reparations.
“We understand the Jamaican government is seeking a petition to be heard before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council,” a spokesperson for the institution said. “The process for seeking a petition is to lodge it with the Judicial Committee so that referral under section four of the 1833 Act can be considered.”
“We also understand the Jamaican representatives will be received by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for bilateral discussions,” they emphasized.
Charles has ‘expressed his personal and wholehearted commitment’ to understanding why the Jamaican people want reparations
Despite not being present at the meeting, Charles feels deep empathy toward the issue.
“His Majesty has on many occasions expressed his personal and wholehearted commitment to promoting greater understanding around the issue of slavery and finding ways to address historic wrongs for the benefit of communities today,” the representative noted.
“As he stated in a landmark speech to Commonwealth Leaders: ‘I understand, from listening to people across the Commonwealth, how the most painful aspects of our past continue to resonate … none of us can change the past. But we can commit, with all our hearts, to learning its lessons and to finding creative ways to right inequalities that endure,’” they added.
Jamaica’s culture minister speaks out about Charles
Olivia Grange, Jamaica’s culture minister, said she wanted to hand the former Prince of Wales the petition personally.
“We go fearless into another chapter in our story when we petition His Majesty King Charles on the matter of reparations,” she explained during a speech at the New Park Road Baptist Church in London via the publication.
“We anticipate that His Majesty will accept our petition and refer the questions to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council,” Grange continued. “We are ready for those who will deny and oppose. To them I say, as we’ve been taught, let justice ring.”
Charles vacations in Scotland
While Charles will miss the meeting with Jamaican officials, he’s currently on summer break at Balmoral in Scotland before resuming his royal duties.
The 77-year-old is still battling cancer and undergoing chemotherapy. However, in 2025, Charles confirmed his treatment was being reduced.