King calls slave trade a 'shameful chapter' during Commonwealth address
King Charles addressed Commonwealth leaders in the Caribbean, describing the transatlantic slave trade as a 'shameful chapter' that causes him profound sorrow. While he acknowledged the historical wrongs, he stopped short of issuing a formal apology.
Why it matters
The speech highlights ongoing diplomatic tensions regarding Britain's colonial history and the growing international pressure for formal apologies and potential reparations.
Figure caption, Watch: King says slave trade a 'shameful chapter' that 'fills my heart with horror'
King Charles has described the transatlantic slave trade as a "shameful chapter of history" that filled him with "profound sorrow" as he opened a summit of Commonwealth leaders in the Caribbean.
He said the trade in enslaved persons "still casts a shadow" over the association of nations.
There has been calls from some for the UK to make a formal apology for its historic role in the trave trade ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm) in Antigua and Barbuda, but there was not one in the King's address.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who is also at the summit, has previously said he is open to Britain issuing a formal apology but that financial reparations were "not the right answer".
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