New research has uncovered evidence that enslaved Africans were branded with an emblem of the British Crown, a practice described by a leading historian as a "dramatic and harrowing" symbol of the monarchy's historical ties to the slave trade.
The findings come from the Register of British Slave Traders project, which has compiled the most extensive examination to date of individuals and institutions invested in Britain's participation in the transatlantic slave trade between 1563 and 1807.
Professor William Pettigrew of King's College London, who led the research, stated that the imprinting was a brutal mark of the Crown's relationship with slavery. The register lists approximately 13,000 individuals and hundreds of institutions involved in the trade before its abolition across the British Empire.
Dr. Nicholas Radburn, a historian at Lancaster University and co-investigator on the project, discovered records of the branding in 2022 while examining archives at the British Library. He found an identifying mark—an image of the Crown with the South Sea Company logo beneath it—within a volume titled 'The Register of Instruments'. The South Sea Company, established in 1711, was a significant British entity involved in trafficking thousands of enslaved Africans.
Further research in 2024 unearthed letters from company directors to their "factors," or slave traders, in the Spanish Americas. One letter from February 1714 provided explicit instructions on conducting the slave trade and detailed how directors in London were personally involved in the violence inflicted upon enslaved people.
These letters indicated that irons made in England were sent to the Americas to brand enslaved Africans on their left shoulder with the emblem. The purpose, according to the correspondence, was to differentiate the company's enslaved individuals from those belonging to others.
Pettigrew noted in an interview that numerous connections existed between the monarchy and slavery beyond this branding. He highlighted that during periods of political instability, members of the royal family reportedly bolstered the monarchy's finances and reputation by investing in the transatlantic slave trade.
He emphasized the distinction between the monarchy as an institution and the individuals who led it, pointing out that the institution remains the same today as it was centuries ago. "So when we talk about the role of the slave trade in rehabilitating the monarchy or improving its position, we're talking about an institution that is still very much a part of British life today," Pettigrew said.
Buckingham Palace issued a statement noting King Charles's commitment to understanding the issue of slavery and addressing historic wrongs. The palace added that the King is "grateful to all those undertaking academic work in this area and thus contributing to the debate about how such issues might best be addressed."
The research project also aims to illuminate the breadth of financial contributors to the slave trade, which included a wide range of society, from royalty and politicians to tradespeople and clergy. Pettigrew stated that these investments financed wars, shaped industries, and contributed to Britain's global and imperial standing.
The register documents financiers of the English, and later British, involvement in the transatlantic traffic of enslaved African people, which led to the enslavement of approximately three million Africans. It is estimated that half a million died during the forced transportation.
This research emerges as African and Caribbean nations continue to call for formal apologies and reparations from countries that profited from the slave trade. Jamaica's government recently announced plans to petition King Charles, the country's head of state, regarding slavery reparations. The petition seeks to refer questions about the legality of the enslavement of Africans in Jamaica to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, with the aim of paving the way for a settlement for the historical abuses endured.
The UK government's position, as stated by a Downing Street spokesperson, is that while the transatlantic slave trade was "abhorrent," the country does not pay reparations.