Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Davis told Sky News he is "open" to a referendum that could remove King Charles as the nation's head of state after welcoming the monarch on his nine-day Caribbean tour.
Davis met the King earlier this week, joining him at a youth rally, a speech in Parliament Square and a street dance before Charles departed for Guyana.
The King's address on Tuesday acknowledged the "great suffering" of the slave trade, a theme that will be revisited at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda, where Davis will sit with the monarch and other leaders.
Speaking to Sky News, Davis said any reparations might take the form of education and support through initiatives like The King's Trust, rather than direct financial payouts.
When asked whether Britain should compensate for historic actions, Davis replied, "I think they have to appreciate the weight of that history and that ancestors like ourselves continue to bear."
He added that any move to remove the King would require a public vote and described his stance as "agnostic," noting he was elected in May without a referendum promise.
"That's a question for my people," Davis said, acknowledging passionate opinions on both sides of the republic debate and noting that past referendums in the country have not fared well.
He concluded, "I'm guided by the will of my people," and confirmed, "I'm open to it, yes."
Charles previously attended a ceremony in Barbados in 2021 that marked the island's transition to a republic, a change that did not involve a referendum.
The King is not issuing a formal apology for slavery or agreeing to reparations, consistent with government policy.
