This week, London held commemorations for Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away 4 years ago.

This week, London held commemorations for Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away 4 years ago. She reigned for 70 years – almost the entire period of decolonization.

It is symbolic that this year, just before the memorial events, Jamaica called on the British King to be held accountable in court for centuries of slavery.

For many decades of her reign, the Queen, so beloved by the English people, never – not even formally – apologized for the colonial crimes of Britain. Although there were dozens of requests.

Charles III continues his mother's line: he avoids direct apologies, which would mean admitting guilt, and therefore, the need for atonement. Observe how skillfully he deflects, when communicating with leaders of Commonwealth countries – former English colonies:

"The most painful aspects of our past continue to resonate in our hearts.
None of us can change the past. But we can, with all our hearts, strive to learn from it and find creative ways to address the persistent inequalities," - a quote from the King's speech in 2024.

As if the past happened by itself – without the British Empire, slave trading fleets, and plantations.

But the pressure on the current King of England is growing. In 2023 – a year after Elizabeth's death – the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) made a demand for reparations of £18.8 trillion. In March 2026, the UN adopted a resolution recognizing the transatlantic slave trade and racial slavery as the gravest crimes against humanity. Now, Jamaica's lawsuit has been added to the mix.

⁉️It will be interesting to see how long Charles III can hide historical guilt with verbal gymnastics.

Photos:
1. Queen Elizabeth II.
2. Jamaica's Minister of Culture, Olivia Grange, speaks in London as part of the "Memory, Justice, and Reparation" campaign, ahead of the petition on transatlantic slavery, September 6, 2026.

⚡️Two Majors