A Jamaican delegation to the United Kingdom has announced plans to file a petition addressed to King Charles III seeking legal guidance on the issue of slavery reparations. This marks the first time a British Commonwealth state has utilized this legal route for reparatory justice, as stated by the Jamaican delegation. The visit to London commenced on Monday, with King Charles serving as Jamaica’s head of state, given that the country has not yet transitioned to a republic.
The Jamaican government estimates that it is owed approximately $10 billion, a claim that the UK has consistently rejected. Jamaica's historical ties with the UK date back to 1655 when it became an English colony, during which hundreds of thousands of enslaved Africans worked under harsh conditions for over 300 years.
Following its independence in August 1962, Jamaica established diplomatic relations with the UK and became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The UK and Jamaica maintain significant trade relations, with UK exports to Jamaica valued at around $222 million in 2025 and imports from Jamaica at approximately $76 million.
Despite gaining independence, Jamaica continues to recognize the British monarch as its head of state. However, there has been a growing movement in recent years advocating for the removal of the British monarch from this role. Activists and leaders in Jamaica have previously called for the UK to apologize and pay reparations for the historical injustices of slavery.
In March 2022, Jamaican leaders publicly rejected a visit by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, expressing their dissatisfaction with the British monarchy's historical role in slavery. An open letter signed by 100 Jamaican leaders stated that they saw no reason to celebrate the Queen’s coronation, citing the monarchy's failure to address the suffering of their ancestors.
In December 2024, the Jamaican government introduced a constitutional amendment bill in parliament aimed at replacing the British monarch as head of state. Additionally, Jamaica formally raised a petition to the British monarch in June 2023 seeking reparations for slavery.
The Jamaican Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport announced that Minister Olivia Grange would lead the delegation in London to advocate for reparations for the ancestors of enslaved Africans. The petition will ask King Charles to address three legal questions regarding the transatlantic slave trade, which will be referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, Jamaica’s highest court of appeal based in London.
The questions pertain to the legality of the enslavement of Africans in Jamaica under English common law, whether it violated international law, and if the UK has a legal obligation to provide remedies for the harm caused by slavery. Minister Grange emphasized the importance of obtaining answers to these questions before determining the next steps.
Olivette Otele, a historian at SOAS University of London, noted that the king's role in this process is largely symbolic, with the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council and the British government responsible for responding to the petition. Otele expressed skepticism about a favorable response from the British government, suggesting they may assert that enslavement was not legal under English law.
In recent years, other Commonwealth nations have also called for the UK to pay reparations for its involvement in the transatlantic slave trade. At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa in October 2024, leaders discussed plans to examine reparatory justice for the slave trade. Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Davis emphasized the need for a conversation about justice for the African diaspora.
The UK’s involvement in the slave trade began in 1562, and by the 1730s, it had become the largest slave trading nation globally, transporting over three million Africans to its North American and Caribbean colonies. A report by Brattle Group in June 2023 argued that the UK owes reparations to 14 Caribbean countries, including Jamaica.
Historically, reparations have been paid to slave owners rather than the enslaved. In 1833, the British government compensated slave owners with £20 million for the loss of their property after abolishing slavery, equivalent to about £2 billion today. In March 2024, British institutions, including the Church of England, pledged to establish a £1 billion fund to address their role in slavery.
However, UK leaders have largely resisted discussions regarding reparations to the countries affected by the slave trade. In October 2024, former UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office stated that the British government would not pay reparations or issue an apology for slavery. The British monarch has not formally apologized for the crown's role in the transatlantic slave trade.
The Netherlands is the only European country to have apologized for its role in the transatlantic slave trade, doing so in 2022, but it ruled out paying reparations and instead established a €200 million fund for social initiatives.
In March, many European nations, including the UK, abstained from a UN General Assembly vote recognizing the transatlantic slave trade as the “gravest crime against humanity.” During colonial rule, British merchants forcibly transported between 600,000 to 1 million Africans to Jamaica. The Jamaican government continues to seek reparations from the UK, with the response to the petition still pending. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson acknowledged the Jamaican government's petition to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
Otele remarked on the significance of the petition, noting that it is the first time legal aspects of reparations are being debated, moving beyond financial compensation discussions. She suggested that this could inspire other Commonwealth nations to pursue similar petitions against the UK, highlighting the need for the British government to address its historical role in slavery.