Heirs of Britain’s slave-trade fortunes apologise, pay reparations as Caribbean demands grow

Heirs of Britain’s slave-trade fortunes have stepped forward, apologizing and offering reparations as the demand for reparations from Caribbean nations continues to grow. Prominent families like the Gladstone, Lascelles, and Trevelyan, who held significant wealth through slave trade profits, have shown remorse and taken action. Laura Trevelyan, a former BBC journalist, discovered her family's involvement in slave trade compensation payments through an archive.

She publicly apologized in Grenada and co-founded the Heirs of Slavery group to support "reparative justice," paying $133,000 in personal reparations for educational projects. Her fellow Heirs group members, Charlie Gladstone and David Lascelles, have also made public apologies. David Lascelles, whose family had ties to the royal family, discovered his ancestors worked on Lascelles family sugar plantations in Barbados.

Despite the UK government rejecting calls for slavery reparations, King Charles III is set to address the issue during his Caribbean tour. Guyana's President Irfaan Ali emphasized the need for a "mature" discussion on apologies and reparations, proposing various forms of compensation, including debt relief and healthcare. However, not all families benefiting from slavery are on board with the Heirs group's approach.

Richard Drax, a UK landowner and descendant of slave-owning ancestors, staunchly opposes reparations, calling it deeply regrettable but emphasizing that no one can be held responsible today. The Reparations Commission of the Caribbean Community has called for monetary compensation, debt cancellation, and an apology as part of its "Ten-Point plan."

Meanwhile, Britain's Privy Council will hear a petition for slavery reparations filed by Jamaica, asking if the capture, transport, and enslavement of Africans in Jamaica was ever legal under English law and if the UK owes Jamaica a "reparatory remedy."