Prime minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines says King Charles as head of state is ‘absurd’

The prime minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines said having King Charles III as head of state is “an absurdity”.

Ralph Gonsalves said he wanted to see the Caribbean country severed from the British monarchy within his lifetime, adding he would welcome an apology from the UK state for past injustices relating to slavery.

“It’s something that I’m hoping to see consummated, the severing of the umbilical cord between our country and the British monarch,” he told BBC Radio 4’s the World At One programme.

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“King Charles knows that, he and I have discussed that in very amicable ways, but Saint Vincent and the Grenadines will remain in the Commonwealth,” he continued. “The King is understanding of the impulses of former colonial peoples to cut the links.”

Mr Gonsalves said he believes the King is open to discussing reparations.

The Saint Vincent prime minister was the second Caribbean leader to call for an end to links with the British monarchy since the coronation of Charles on Saturday.

Terrance Drew, prime minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis said his country was not “not totally free” with the King as head of state.

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He told the BBC a public consultation on whether the Commonwealth realm nation should become a republic will start during his leadership.

Dr Drew, of the Saint Kitts and Nevis Labour Party, who won a snap election in August, has also called on the monarchy to apologise for its historic links to the slave trade, the BBC reported.

Buckingham Palace said Charles takes slavery “profoundly seriously”. The King is head of state in eight Caribbean countries.

Dr Drew and Mr Gonsalves were among world leaders who posed in a group photograph with Charles after attending a Commonwealth reception at Marlborough House in London on Friday, ahead of the coronation at Westminster Abbey on Saturday.