Get you up to speed: King Charles views shackles worn by slaves during Bermuda visit | News UK
King Charles III’s visit to Bermuda included a tour of the National Museum of Bermuda, highlighting the history of the transatlantic slave trade.
Polling by YouGov revealed that 75% of respondents approved of King Charles III’s visit to Bermuda, despite only 43% believing it would positively influence US policy towards the UK.
King Charles III’s trip to Bermuda, marked by public support and cultural engagement, continues as he reflects on potential future opportunities following his U.S. visit.
What we know so far
King Charles III began his visit to Bermuda by engaging with the island’s history, focusing particularly on the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade. During a tour of the 1850 Ordinance House, the King was shown artefacts including neck irons used to restrain enslaved individuals, dating back to 1595.
Accompanying these historical items was a plaque stating, “From 1550 to 1595, the official records show that 36,300 enslaved Africans were imported into Spanish Southern America,” highlighting the grim reality of the slave trade. Another artefact detailed how slavery became integral to European empires, as Portugal and Spain relied on labour from West Africa.
This marks the King’s first visit to a British Overseas Territory as Sovereign, emphasising the importance of Bermuda to the UK. The four-day trip is viewed as a pivotal moment amid increasingly strained diplomatic relations, with polling suggesting that three quarters of the public believed the King handled the visit well.
While 43 per cent felt the visit would positively influence US policy towards the UK, aides noted the enormity of the crowds and the warmth of the reception. The King, driven by a sense of duty, expressed enjoyment despite the busy schedule, underscoring the historical and cultural significance of his engagement with Bermuda.
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King Charles shown slaves’ neck shackles during Bermuda visit | News UK
The King was given a look into the history of the transatlantic slave trade during the first day of his visit to Bermuda.
In a deeply moving visit, Charles was shown neck irons which were used to control slaves dating from 1595 at the 1850 Ordinance House.
The cabinet, which included other artefacts dedicated to slaves, trade and conquest, included the caption: ‘From 1550 to 1595, the official records show that 36,300 enslaved Africans were imported into Spanish Southern America.’
It added that the true figure was likely to be far higher.
Another note recounted how slavery became the backbone of European empires, with Portugal and Spain turning to labour from west Africa to make up for the dwindling native american workforce.
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Originally discovered by Spanish explorer Juan de Bermúdez in the early 1500s, the archipelago was not colonised until the English settlement in 1612.
During his visit, the King watched a performance by Gombey dance troupes, an African-Caribbean tradition and nod to how slaves were only permitted to dance twice a year with masks which are still used today.
The Times reported that it was always planned that the King would visit Bermuda alone, with the Queen having flown back to the UK following the couple’s US state visit.
The four-day trip was seen as a landmark moment at time when diplomatic relations have become less stable.
Among key moments during the visit was the King’s address to Congress, in which the monarch was thought to have gently pushed against some of Trump’s policies, including on climate change, Ukraine, NATO and the need to uphold rules.
Despite this, the speech was received warmly by both Democrats and Republicans, with aides suggesting Charles ‘got on very well’ with Donald Trump.
The King’s intervention even saw Trump lift tariffs on scotch whisky as a parting gift for the visit.
One palace aide remarked: ‘What looked like risk and challenge was also a phenomenal opportunity. One that was grasped in both hands by the King and we shall leave you to conclude what the outcome of that was.
‘He’s not a man to dwell long on what some may consider yesterday’s successes, he is always looking towards tomorrow’s opportunities, so generally we’ve tried to encourage him to feel positive – and he has – about the way that the American leg in particular has gone in particular, but his mind is already on what he can achieve next rather than what he achieved this week.’
Polling shows the visit was overwhelmingly popular with the public, with three quarters of respondents saying the King had handled it well.
This included a solid majority from supporters of all political parties, according to YouGov.
However just 43 per cent believed the visit had positively impacted US policy towards the UK.
The aide added that the King was driven by ‘duty’ and ‘service’.
They said: ‘he King has greatly enjoyed it.
‘It has been very busy and the crowds have been so huge they have made us extremely late, but no-one minds about that when you feel that you’re doing some good here, showing that this island matters to Britain, because it certainly matters to the King.’