Duke of Cambridge, Prince William last night, (March 23) condemned slavery as “abhorrent” but failed to offer the apology that many in Jamaica, have been calling for.

The remarks on slavery came a day after protesters gathered at the British High Commission in Kingston calling for reparations and an apology from the British Monarchy for the atrocities associated with the Trans-Atlantic trade in enslaved Africans.

Speaking at a dinner party at the Governor General’s residence, William noted that the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is being observed this week.

He said he strongly agrees with his father, who said in Barbados last year, that the appalling atrocity of slavery forever stains British history.

He expressed profound sorrow, while noting that slavery was abhorrent, and it should never have happened.

He added that while the pain runs deep, Jamaica continues to forge its future with determination, courage and fortitude, but he stopped short of an apology.

He, however went on to recognize the Windrush Generation, who went to the United Kingdom to help rebuild after the second world war.

The prince said the monarchy is forever grateful for the immense contribution that the Windrush Generation and their descendants made to British life, which continues to enrich and improve its society.

He further expressed delighted that a national monument acknowledging and celebrating the Windrush Generation by Jamaican Artist, Basil Watson, is to be unveiled later this year in Waterloo Station in London.

The Windrush Generation is made up of Caribbean citizens who migrated to the UK between 1948 and 1971 to fill post war labour shortages.

Under the 1971 Immigration Act, they were granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK, but in 2010 the British Home Office destroyed landing cards belonging to Windrush migrants, leading to dozens of them being unjustly deported and facing other hardships.

The British government has since apologized for the scandal, and created a fund to compensate those who were impacted.

Meantime, today marks the third and final day of the Royal Visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Prince William and Kate who arrived in the island on Tuesday (March 22), toured several areas of the country including Trench Town in Kingston and the Spanish Town Hospital, in St. Catherine.

The final event on their schedule was the Jamaica Defense Force’s commissioning parade which was also a graduation ceremony for young cadets.

Speaking at the ceremony Duke of Cambridge, Prince William encouraged the officers to be great leaders.

Image: JIS