The Jamaican government has urged the King to support slavery reparations.

The Caribbean country is the first to exploit 19th-century colonial legislation to directly petition the monarch, who remains head of state of the island nation, to refer the issue to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.

The committee is the highest court of appeal for the 15 independent Commonwealth realms which retain the King as their head of state.

Jamaica hopes that, after being asked by the King to examine the reparations issue, the committee could then give an opinion on whether Britain has a legal “obligation” to offer a “remedy”.

Legal experts believe official recognition would “open the door” to the payments, with campaigners seeking up to £18 trillion.

The Telegraph understands that other Caribbean countries which retain the King as head of state could follow Jamaica and pursue the same strategy.