How is Britain Benefiting From its Imperial Monarchy?

After the death of Queen Elizabeth of Britain, many activists talked about how the British monarchy is a mere imperial entity that colonized half of the geographical world we know.

Months ago, Prince William expressed "deep grief" over slavery, which "forever stains our history," in a speech he gave in Jamaica.

But he did not go so far as to acknowledge the monarchy's part in that history, an institution from which he still derives benefits today.

 

Financing Slavery

The founding, growth, and upkeep of the British empire as well as the transatlantic slave trade were all made possible by the British monarchy.

Henry VIII announced the English empire for the first time in 1532. Sir John Hawkins, usually regarded as one of the earliest English traders to benefit from the slave trade, received a royal charter (an instrument of incorporation) from Elizabeth I. In 1600, it also gave the British East India Company a charter.

The Royal African Company, established by Charles II in 1660 after Elizabeth's demise and headed by the Duke of York (later James II), mined items like gold and ivory from the Gold Coast and brought over 3,000 Africans to Barbados.

The initials "DY" were often burned into the skin of these individuals to denote their ties to the Duke of York. Both men made a private investment in the business.

In 1877, Queen Victoria was given the title of Empress of India; by 1920, the empire's size had increased to 13.71 million square miles. The British monarch's influence and authority on a global scale were intimately related to the enslavement of people of color.

 

The Commonwealth

The 52 "independent and equal" member states that make up the Commonwealth are a political organization. Despite claiming to be "independent," the Commonwealth has imperial roots.

Many of the current members were once British imperial territories, and Commonwealth expert Philip Murphy calls the transition from imperial to Commonwealth "haphazard."

The Commonwealth was created as a result of post-World War II decolonization to reassure the British population that the end of the empire would not damage Britain's standing abroad.

Prince Charles was chosen to succeed the Queen as head of the Commonwealth in 2018. However, Charles would not be taking up this job for any legal or constitutional basis, nor is the post hereditary.

The monarch's privilege and power, which date back to colonial eras, are maintained by his or her status as head of the Commonwealth.

The chief curator of Historic Royal Palaces, Lucy Worsley, launched a study into the history of slavery and colonialism at royal palaces in 2020 in response to the National Trust's findings on those histories in its holdings.

All of the Stuart dynasty's assets in the 17th century, according to Worsley, "were going to contain an element of money earned from slaves" inside them. Included in this are Kensington Palace and Hampton Court Palace, with which King William III, another joint owner of the Royal African Company, had relations.

Not to mention items that are currently in the monarchy's possession that were taken during colonization, like the Koh-i-Noor diamond from India that is used in the Crown Jewels and which Pakistan and India have urged the monarchy to return.

The lack of transparency regarding what the Crown owns versus the Queen’s personal assets makes it even harder to trace these histories.

 

Jamaican Letter

In a letter requesting the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to make amends for colonialism during their Caribbean tour, protesters from Jamaica have accused the Queen of encouraging slavery.

A coalition of Jamaican lawmakers, businessmen, medical professionals, and singers have demanded in an open letter that the British crown apologize for colonialism and pay reparations for slavery as the nation marks its 60th anniversary of independence.

The visit of Prince William and Kate is viewed as a charm offensive to encourage other Caribbean countries not to join Barbados in deposing the Queen this year.

In the letter, it is written, " We note with great concern your visit to our country, Jamaica, during a period when we are still in the throes of a global pandemic and bracing for the full impact of another global crisis associated with the Russian/Ukraine war.

"We see no reason to celebrate 70 years of the ascension of your grandmother to the British throne because her leadership, and that of her predecessors, has perpetuated the greatest human rights tragedy in the history of humankind."

To coincide with the royals' arrival in Jamaica, the group, which goes by the name of the Advocates Network, plans to hold a protest outside the British High Commission in Kingston on Tuesday. The Cambridges are due to stay until Thursday when they will depart for the Bahamas.

The letter urges the Queen and the UK government to give “an apology for British crimes against humanity, including but not limited to the exploitation of the indigenous people of Jamaica, the transatlantic trafficking of Africans, the enslavement of Africans, indentureship and colonialisation.”

It cites an “offensive and insensitive” address in 2015 by the then prime minister, David Cameron, in which he urged Jamaica to “move on from this painful legacy” and praised British leadership in ending the “horrors of slavery.”

Noting that William and Kate are “direct beneficiaries of the wealth accumulated by the royal family over centuries,” the letter urges the couple to “redefine the relationship between the British monarchy and the people of Jamaica,” starting by acknowledging the need for atonement and reparations.