Photo: Getty Images
While attending a state dinner in Jamaica on Wednesday (March 23), Prince William delivered a speech in which called slavery "abhorrent" and expressed his "profound sorrow" for the violent acts carried out by British colonizers.
"I strongly agree with my father, the Prince of Wales, who said in Barbados last year that the appalling atrocity of slavery forever stains our history," the Duke of Cambridge said, referencing the speech Prince Charles gave in November during Barbados' ceremony to remove Queen Elizabeth II as the nation's head of state.
"I want to express my profound sorrow. Slavery was abhorrent, And it should never have happened," William said. "While the pain runs deep, Jamaica continues to forge its future with determination, courage, and fortitude."
William's speech comes amid a turbulent tour of the Caribbean, as communities protests the Royal arrival, and hundreds of leaders in Jamaica call on the British monarchy to pay reparations and apologize for slavery. Leaders in the Bahamas have also made similar demands ahead of an impending Royal visit.
The Independent reported Tuesday (March 22) that Jamaica is taking steps to remove Queen Elizabeth as its head of state, which Prime Minister Andrew Holness has recently spoken about and has been a long held discussion for years.
In a meeting on Wednesday (March 23), Prime Minister Holness addressed the topic, and told Prince William and Kate in no uncertain terms that Jamaica is "moving on."
"There are issues here which are –– as you would know –– unresolved. But your presence here gives an opportunity to for those issues to be placed in context, but front and center, and to be addressed in as best we can," Holness said.
"But Jamaica is, as you would see, a country that is very proud of our history and very proud of what we have achieved. And we are moving on. And we intend to attain, in short order, our development goals and fulfill our true ambition and destiny as an independent, developed, and prosperous country."
Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.