King Charles could face pressure to apologise for slavery

King Charles could face mounting pressure to apologise for the Royal Family's role in the slave trade because his Dutch counterpart's impending apology for colonialism 'sets a precedent,' royal experts have said.

King Willem-Alexander is expected to make a formal apology on July 1, when the Netherlands will mark the 160th anniversary of the end of slavery on what is known as Keti Koti, or Emancipation Day.

A study commissioned by the country's government recently found that the Dutch royal house earned the equivalent of more than £800million from the trade and the conquest of subjugated regions. 

Now, experts have said that King Willem-Alexander's decision could influence Charles's next move. In April, he backed a landmark UK study into the monarchy's involvement in the slave trade.

Royal biographer Richard Fitzwilliams told MailOnline that the Dutch King's expected apology will 'influence the way that others respond in European monarchies where there are former empires involved.'

Fellow commentator iconwin Phil Dampier said that Charles 'might think about' an apology and will be put under 'more pressure' if other European royal families opt to apologise. 




King Charles could face mounting pressure to apologise for slavery because his Dutch counterpart's impending apology for colonialism 'sets a precedent,' royal experts have said

And former Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker, a prominent critic of the royal family's finances, said he believes the Dutch decision will increase the pressure on Charles, adding that he 'probably will' apologise.