Jamaica to petition King Charles over slavery reparations

Jamaica is to petition King Charles III over reparations for the transatlantic slave trade, in a move that stops short of demanding direct payments but seeks legal clarification on Britain's historic obligations. Culture Minister Olivia Grange will lead the delegation to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council — the final court of appeal for Jamaica — to pose three formal legal questions.

The questions are: whether slavery was lawful under English law at the time it was practised; whether it violated international law; and whether Britain has a legal duty to provide redress. The petition is not a direct demand for money, but a request to have those questions answered by judges with authority over both nations.

The Jamaican government said Buckingham Palace is working with the Governor General on the matter. The move follows years of growing pressure from Caribbean nations for reparations, linked to the legacy of the plantation economy and the wealth generated for Britain at the expense of enslaved people.

In 1833, Britain paid £20 million in compensation to slave owners after abolition — but nothing to the enslaved. Loans taken out to finance that payment were only fully repaid by British taxpayers in 2015. Jamaica's delegation is also in discussions with the British Museum about the return of Jamaican cultural artefacts held in London.