Home Politics News With the Queen gone, King Charles III must fight to regain control...

With the Queen gone, King Charles III must fight to regain control of the black community

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With the Queen gone, King Charles III must fight to regain control of the black community
With the Queen gone, King Charles III must fight to regain control of the black community

After Queen Elizabeth II passed away earlier this month, tributes poured in, but not all of them were favourable. What had she ever done for us, many in the black community in Britain questioned?

Because of the lingering negative effects of Britain’s colonial past, the question provided her eldest son and heir, Charles III, a sneak preview of what he will have to face in that role.

The queen presided over 14 countries outside of Britain at the time of her death, including those Caribbean kingdoms that were involved in the slave trade.

The subject of how long Charles will serve as their distant head of state is being debated more and more as republican movements gain momentum. Charles instantly succeeded his mother in that position.

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The day following the queen’s passing on September 8, black studies professor Kehinde Andrews of the University of Birmingham remarked that he did not feel the same sadness as the rest of the nation.

“The Queen is the foremost image of white supremacy for the descendants of the British Empire, both those of us born here and those of us born in the 15 countries of the ‘commonwealth.'”

She may have been viewed as an institution, but to us, she represented the institutional racism that we constantly deal with, according to what he wrote on the Politico website.

Royals are allegedly responsible.

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There is a growing movement among black Britons to speak out against the racism they see to be ingrained in many British institutions.

Black Lives Matter anti-racism demonstrations brought attention to the issue by demanding the destruction of sculptures honouring people who were involved in slavery.

Protests were conducted against the death of Chris Kaba, a black man who was shot dead by police in London while unarmed, during the time of national mourning that ended with the queen’s funeral on September 19.

Prince Harry, the youngest son of Charles, and his mixed-race bride, Meghan, had previously accused the royal family of racism, bringing the monarchy itself into the discussion.

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Early in 2020, Harry and Meghan left the life of a royal couple and relocated to California. For taking on the British establishment, they gained a lot of admirers among young people and in the black community.

the “Mass awakening”

Because Charles is expected to follow his mother as leader of the 56-nation Commonwealth, unresolved issues around race and colonialism are of much more importance.

While the majority of the 2.6 billion members of the body are not white and under 30, many of them are ex-colonies of the British Empire.

A “wide awakening to the reality and legacies of empire and slavery” has occurred across the Commonwealth, according to David Olusoga, author of “Black and British: A Forgotten History.”

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However, the British historian claimed in The Guardian that Buckingham Palace had been unable to acknowledge or comprehend the “change of awareness.”

He referred to William and Catherine’s earlier this year Caribbean excursion, which received harsh criticism for having colonial overtones.

The Crown was also urged to make amends for slavery, and William himself received requests for both.

“Historians may possibly view that visit as the first sign of the post-Elizabethan era, which is the epoch in which we are currently living, said Olusoga.

William has since lauded the “immense contribution” of the Windrush generation of Caribbean immigrants who came to Britain after World War II to aid in the nation’s reconstruction.

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Many people entered the country legitimately, but due to the government’s strict immigration policies, they were later wrongfully held and even deported.

The equality of races

Charles’ track record of working with underprivileged children and the black community through his charity, the Prince’s Trust, “speaks for itself,” according to Ashok Viswanathan, deputy director of Operation Black Vote.

But he said that “he will have to develop that bond in his new capacity” if he wants to persuade black Britons, especially the young.

According to reports, Charles has been working behind the scenes to combat bigotry.

Before ascending to the throne in early September, Charles accepted an invitation to serve as a guest editor for the African-Caribbean publication The Voice.

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Lester Holloway, the editor of the monthly, acknowledged that not all readers were pleased given the royal family’s persistent refusal to apologise for slavery.

In an interview with the BBC, he stated: “We agreed to engage with the Prince of Wales after considering the work he has done on racial equality over the course of 40 years and the similarities with our advocacy over the same period.”