King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands formally apologized on Saturday for his country’s role in the slave trade.
Willem-Alexander, who ascended to the throne in 2013, made the apology in a speech in Amsterdam at an annual commemoration of the abolition of slavery in Suriname and the Netherlands’ Caribbean colonies.
“We carry the horrors of the slavery past with us,” the king said, adding that the consequences of the slave trade could still be felt in the form of racism in today’s society.
“They are intensely experienced by me with heart and soul,” he said about his words of apology, which were met with applause.
The king also asked for forgiveness for the “obvious lack of action against this crime against humanity” on behalf of his ancestors, who like him were members of the House of Orange, the Dutch royal family.
Slavery was officially abolished in 1863 in the Dutch colonies, which included Suriname and Dutch Caribbean islands like Curaçao and Aruba among others, but many enslaved people were forced to work on plantations for a decade longer to limit financial losses for the owners. That meant that for most enslaved people, slavery did not end until 1873.
The Netherlands’ role in the global trade of enslaved people has long been a neglected topic of conversation, but in recent years, the Dutch government has been trying to actively acknowledge it.
In December, Prime Minister Mark Rutte formally apologized on behalf of the government, saying that “for hundreds of years, people were made merchandise, exploited and abused in the name of the Dutch state.” He added that a succession of Dutch governments had not done enough to recognize that slavery has had lasting negative effects.
Also late last year, the government announced that it would create a fund of 200 million euros, or about $218 million, to increase “awareness and involvement and follow-up.”
