King of the Netherlands has issued a sweeping apology for his country’s involvement in the slave trade.
The 56-year-old King said: “On this day that we remember the Dutch history of slavery, I ask forgiveness for this crime against humanity.”
Speaking at a ceremony marking the 160th anniversary of the legal abolition of slavery in the Netherlands on Saturday, the King emphasised his personal and profound emotional connection to the matter.
The king labelled the practice as “horrific” and acknowledged the royal family’s inaction in preventing it.
The monarch said that racism in Dutch society remains a problem and not everyone would support his apology. However, he added: “The times have changed and Keti Koti … the chains have truly been broken.”
“Keti Koti” are Surinamese words that mean the ‘the chain is broken’ and it is the title given to July 1 as a day of remembrance of slavery and celebration of freedom.
The apology comes amid a wider reconsideration of the Netherlands’ colonial past. In the 17th Century, Dutch slave traders reportedly facilitated the trafficking of individuals.
During his address in Amsterdam, the King stated: “Today I stand here before you as your King as and as a part of the government. Today, I am apologising myself.”
Willem-Alexander, accompanied by Queen Maxima, affirmed that “the vast majority” of Dutch citizens supported the fight for equality, irrespective of colour or cultural background.
He asserted that after acknowledging and apologising, the path towards healing, reconciliation, and restoration could be forged together.
Last year, Prime Minister Mark Rutte also issued an apology for the historical role of the Netherlands in the slave trade, categorising it as a “crime against humanity” in a speech at the Hague.
Previously, Buckingham Palace said the royal household would help to support an independent research project looking into any links between the monarchy and slavery during the late seventeenth and eighteenth-centuries, by allowing access to the Royal Collection and the Royal Archives.
The Palace reportedly highlighted a speech Charles made to Commonwealth leaders last June, when he said: “I cannot describe the depths of my personal sorrow at the suffering of so many as I continue to deepen my own understanding of slavery’s enduring impact.”
