WHILE the Queen was seen as generally supportive of the Diversity agenda, it is hoped that Charles III, the new King of Great Britain, and Northern Ireland, will take this work to a new level.
The Queen passed away last Thursday (8) after a 70-year reign which has seen the UK transform in its ethnic makeup.
King Charles has already made many positive statements about Diversity and there is a strong belief that he will continue to support the Diversity agenda, especially in relation to Britain’s Black and Asian communities.
During his first speech to the nation as the new monarch, he said, “In the course of the last 70 years we have seen our society become one of many cultures and many faiths. The institutions of the state have changed in turn.” And he said: “Whatever may be your background or beliefs, I shall endeavour to serve you with loyalty, respect and love.”
These two statements signalled a new era in which he will rule a country that is becoming more and more racially and religiously diverse.
He is eager to present himself as a protector of both the traditional Church of England, of which he is a member and the plurality of religions and cultures.
On Friday (9), the former Play School presenter Baroness Floella Benjamin, 72, claimed that King Charles III is a “supporter of diversity” and is planning to “celebrate the pioneers of the Windrush generation”.
She was speaking about working with the new monarch. Charles, according to the Baroness, is “different” from his mother, the Queen, adding, “People shouldn’t compare Charles with his mother that would be a mistake.
“I am working with him at the moment with the Windrush. He wants to celebrate the Windrush pioneers because next year is the 75th anniversary. He wanted to have 10 portraits of Windrush elders painted. This is something he’s been thinking about for the past five years.”
In a video greeting on Windrush Day (22 June), Charles spoke from his home office and praised the “invaluable contribution of black people in Britain.”
Windrush Day is celebrated in the United Kingdom every year on June 22. The day marks the arrival of Afro-Caribbean immigrants to the shores of Britain and honours the British Caribbean community.
In honour of the African-Caribbean communities’ contributions to the arts and society, last month (Aug 2022) Charles served as guest editor of an edition of the British Black newspaper ‘The Voice’ in the nation for its 40th anniversary, which began in 1982.
He wrote in his editor’s note that he was “very touched” to be invited to edit the special issue of the newspaper, quoting Jamaican reggae pioneer Bob Marley. He has emphasised the value of “unity through diversity”.
His letter concluded by saying: “My hope is that we can consistently preserve and celebrate the histories of people of African, Caribbean and Asian heritage in Britain, and to expand this beyond Black History Month”.
During his address at the opening of the 26th Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting in Rwanda in June 2022, he mentioned the diversity of the Commonwealth as its “strength”.
King Charles III has always maintained a healthy relationship with the British Asian community. He and the British Asian business leaders established the British Asian Trust in 2007 to address the pervasive poverty, inequality, and injustice in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.
Charles, the Royal Founding Patron of the British Asian Trust, had praised the organisation’s efforts and many accomplishments in helping raise funds to support Covid-19 recovery across South Asia.
Last year, he met Indian-origin community leaders in Coventry who were fundraising to support those impacted by the COVID-19 crisis in India and appreciated their work.
With financial support from the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), BAT’s Women’s Economic Empowerment programme supported over 10,000 women in Pakistan into secure jobs or helped them establish their businesses, from 2017 to 2020.
Through the Prince’s Trust, Charles has a history of more than 40 years of humanitarian activity, helping young, disadvantaged people. Idris Elba and Kwame Kwei-Armah, are two well-known graduates who are passionate supporters of the King’s commitment to diversity from personal experience.
In November 2021, King Charles III visited Homerton College at Cambridge University, and said promoting greater inclusion and diversity has always been “close to my heart”. He was there to hear about the institution’s new schemes to support ethnic minority students. He has collaborated with the Prince’s Trust on addressing disadvantages among ethnic minorities.
The UK saw radical transformation over the Queen’s 70-year reign, with significant laws advancing LGBTQ+ rights such as the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1967 and the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act in 2014.
A number of LGBTQ+ activists have received OBEs from the queen over the years. But the late Queen refrained from making public remarks about LGBTQ+ rights.
There is no record of King Charles III advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, and he has mainly followed in her footsteps.
In a prior endorsement of Charles, Sir Elton John expressed his belief that he and Prince Harry will utilise their power to have homosexuality decriminalised in all Commonwealth nations.
Prince William and Prince Harry in particular have been somewhat more outspoken in their support for LGBTQ+ rights than other members of the royal family.
Prince Harry has expressed his support for Mermaids, a transgender youth organisation, while Prince William stated in 2019 that he would be supportive of any of his children if they came out as gay.
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