By Basant El-Faramawy
King Charles III addressed world leaders at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua on Tuesday, describing the transatlantic slave trade as a “shameful chapter of history” that fills him with “profound personal sorrow.”
No formal apology offered
The monarch stopped short of a formal apology, days after British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he was open to apologizing and proposed a debt‑restructuring program for the Commonwealth’s poorest nations while rejecting calls for reparations. Charles said the slave trade “still casts a shadow over these islands and other members of our Commonwealth” but emphasized that “evil not need have the last word.”
Royal Navy role and future actions
He noted the Royal Navy played “a leading role” in ending the trade and outlined steps to address historical wrongs, including improving education access, investing in jobs, encouraging intra‑Commonwealth trade and pushing for climate‑change resilience measures. “We cannot change the actions of those who came before us. We can, however, learn from the past,” he said.
Protesters demand reparatory justice
A small group of protesters gathered outside the venue holding signs reading “Acknowledge the wrong. Commit to repair” and “You say you regret so apologize. Reparatory justice now!” Protester Shana Michelle of Antigua said many remain mentally unfree and that colonial vestiges persist in language and self‑perception. She argued the British government avoids acknowledgment to evade accountability.
Historical ties and other leaders
The royal family has a long association with the slave trade, from Elizabeth I’s backing of John Hawkins to opposition from the Duke of Clarence during abolition debates. Among leaders attending the opening ceremony were Burnham, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Funding pledges for nature and resilience
Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne said a “significant amount of funding” had been pledged for several initiatives. Officials announced Monday that the Commonwealth Nature Initiative had generated more than $200 million to protect at least 30% of the world’s land and oceans by 2030. “Countries whose futures are shaped by international decisions must have a meaningful voice in making them,” Browne said.
