King Charles lands in Guyana amid apology calls

King Charles landed in Guyana on Thursday for the second stop of a Caribbean tour, as Britain faces pressure to apologise for its role in colonisation and the transatlantic slave trade.

Guyana's President Irfaan Ali greeted Charles at Cheddi Jagan International Airport. The king inspected a guard of honour before travelling to Georgetown for a state reception at the presidential palace.

The visit marks 60 years of bilateral relations between Britain and Guyana after the former colony gained independence. During two days in Guyana, Charles is expected to focus on the regional impact of climate change, including a visit to a rainforest conservation site.

The tour began in the Bahamas, where Charles acknowledged “the great suffering and injustices of the past” but stopped short of apologising. Protesters there held placards reading: “Pay what you owe us.”

Ali told ITV News last week that an apology was “the next step” and called for accountability from the former empire, which he said exploited the region, destroyed lives and created underdevelopment.

Charles, 77, is receiving treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer. Queen Camilla is due to join him in Antigua and Barbuda, where he will address a Commonwealth heads of government summit. Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey has said reparations for slavery will be on the table there.