King Charles labels transatlantic slave trade a "shameful chapter" at Commonwealth summit
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During the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda, King Charles called the transatlantic slave trade a shameful chapter of history and expressed personal sorrow, while no formal apology was issued.
King Charles described the transatlantic slave trade as a "shameful chapter of history" that fills him with profound sorrow as he opened the Commonwealth summit in the Caribbean. He said the trade "still casts a shadow over these islands and other members of our Commonwealth" and noted that his growing understanding of the issue has increased his commitment to address past wrongs with future action.
"As I have said before, that shameful chapter of history is one that fills my heart with horror and my soul with the most profound personal sorrow," the monarch said.
He added that history cannot be changed but is inherited, encompassing both achievements and failures of previous generations. Prime Minister Andy Burnham, also attending the summit, reiterated his openness to a formal apology from Britain but said financial reparations would not be the appropriate response.
The meeting, which brings together leaders from 56 Commonwealth states every two years, coincides with a royal tour of the Caribbean that has revived debate over the United Kingdom's colonial legacy.