Sunny Hostin Calls on King Charles to 'Provide Reparations' to British Colonies

The women of The View may be mourning the death of Queen Elizabeth II, but Sunny Hostin is already looking to King Charles III's reign. On Friday morning, Hostin reminded her co-hosts that the British monarchy "was built on the backs of Black and brown people," and she called on the new king to "provide reparations to all of those colonies" abused by the crown.

As she's done in the past, Hostin offered a dose of reality about the origins of the British Empire. "We all love glam and pageantry," she said. "I think, though, we can mourn the queen and not the empire."

"Because if you really think of what the monarchy was built on, it was built on the backs of Black and brown people," continued Hostin. "She wore a crown of pillaged stones from India and Africa. And now what you're seeing, at least in the Black communities that I'm a part of, they want reparations. Barbados left this monarchy, this colonization. Jamaica — I have a lot of Jamaican friends; that's coming soon."

Hostin noted that King Charles III has "14 colonies" that he oversees as head of state (she incorrectly said Australia and Canada are included in this group; though King Charles is the sovereign of both nations, they are not among the 14 British Overseas Territories).

"It's time for him to modernize this monarchy. And it's time for him to provide reparations for all of those colonies," said the co-host. "A monarchy — it's very easy to uplift one family. The harder thing is to uplift all families, and I think he's in a position to be able to do that."

When Joy Behar chimed in to defend Queen Elizabeth II — "You do know that Queen Elizabeth fought against apartheid in South Africa" — Hostin offered a shady rebuttal, saying, "That was one of the good things she did."

REFLECTING ON QUEEN ELIZABETH’S 70-YEAR REIGN: As the world says farewell to Queen Elizabeth II, #TheView co-hosts look back on her life and discuss the monarchy's complicated past, present and future under King Charles III. https://t.co/cVclFZQmjA pic.twitter.com/QbJiBCl4wD

— The View (@TheView) September 9, 2022

After some back and forth, during which Sara Haines accused Carnegie Mellon professor Uju Anya of having a "hateful heart" for criticizing the queen on Twitter, Hostin pivoted to the Camila and Diana of it all.

"She made Camila the Queen Consort. I'm sorry, I think that women who are having affairs with married men around the world are saying, 'I can sleep with a married man and get the crown!'" she said, in yet another oft-repeated argument. "I just think she should've been the Duchess of Wales."

"But Sunny, don't be naive!" fired back Behar. "That is the history of monarchy! They all have affairs!"

As Hostin continued to argue her point, Behar urged her to "grow up," and the ladies proceeded to yell over each other as they relitigated Charles and Diana's relationship.

"He loves her! She's his soulmate!" said Behar, choosing to ignore The View's theme music. "He likes her. He wanted her. He didn't want Diana! He was pushed into that!"

"But he did it! And she should still be by his side as not the queen," replied Hostin, as the music swelled behind them.

"I love Diana, but she was naive, I'm sorry," said Behar. "We'll be right back."

In this world, nothing is certain except life, death, and the women of The View fighting about royal romances.

Claire Spellberg Lustig is the Senior Editor at Primetimer and a scholar of The View. Follow her on Twitter at @c_spellberg.