Dutch Royals Backed Colonialism, Share Slavery Blame: Study

Leiden University concludes the House of Orange-Nassau, the Dutch royal house, backed Dutch colonialism for centuries and shares responsibility for slavery's survival. The three-year study, commissioned by King Willem-Alexander and presented Oct. 2, 2026, found rulers rarely set policy and seldom objected. It follows 2022 and 2023 state and royal apologies.