The current Caribbean tour by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge has been met with widespread protests over accusations that the royal family “whitewashes” its legacy of slavery. During a Thursday appearance on The View, Goldberg joined the chorus of those demanding an apology from the royals, while noting alongside co-host Sunny Hostin that the British had enslaved Indians in addition to Africans.
“We cannot ignore the fact that Britain ran [roughshod] over India for years,” Goldberg said. “Let us not forget, when we talk about what needs to happen, all of the folks who need to apologize…. Listen, this is not new.”
“I suspect Charles, when he was in Barbados, had some idea,” she added. “Because he went on and apologized as he was releasing the hold that Britain has. So, perhaps somebody’s listening, and it’s the new group of folks.”
Newsweek reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment.
Prince Charles referred to slavery in the Caribbean as an “appalling atrocity” that “forever stains our history” during a visit to Barbados last November. However, he stopped short of actually apologizing. William referenced the remarks during a speech in Jamaica on Wednesday, while still leaving out the apology.
“I strongly agree with my father, the Prince of Wales, who said in Barbados last year that the appalling atrocity of slavery forever stains our history,” William said. “I want to express my profound sorrow. Slavery was abhorrent, and it should never have happened.”
“While the pain runs deep, Jamaica continues to forge its future with determination, courage and fortitude,” he added.
The Advocates Network of Jamaica, which called for a slavery apology and reparations after sending a letter to the royal couple, called William’s remarks “tone deaf” in a statement to Newsweek.
“There was no responsibility taken!” the group’s statement said. “No call out of centuries of British bloody conquest and plunder. No call out of the dehumanization and exploitation.”
“This ’tone deaf’ statement echoes the well-crafted words of his father,” the statement continued. “It does not rise to the level of the formal apology that we deserve.”
Last week, the duke and duchess’ tour got off to a rocky start when they were forced to call off a planned event in Belize due to a protest. Their visit to Jamaica inspired at least 35 protesters in Kingston.
Goldberg’s comments came one day after another co-host of the The View, Lindsey Granger, weighed in on the issue. Granger complained on Wednesday that the royal couple had not “stepped out in the way that we’ve seen Harry and Meghan step out on a line and take a stand” against racism.
Goldberg issued an apology of her own in early February after controversially asserting on the daytime talk show that the Holocaust was “not about race,” insisting that she “misspoke” and did not intend to “upset so many people.”
The network issued Goldberg a two-week suspension regardless of her apology, with ABC News President Kim Godwin saying in a statement that Goldberg could use her time away from the show “to reflect and learn about the impact of her comments.”
