UK’s King Charles expresses ‘sorrow’ in Antigua over slave trade

Caribbean nations call for reparations as King Charles stops short of issuing an apology for colonial-era slavery.Published On 3 Nov 20263 Nov 2026King Charles III has said at the official opening of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Antigua and Barbuda that the transatlantic slave trade fills him with “horror” and “the most profound personal sorrow”.The British monarch said on Tuesday that the slave trade “still casts a shadow over these [Caribbean] islands and other members of our Commonwealth”, and that the Royal Navy had played “a leading role” in ending it.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Does the UK have a legal obligation to redress the harms of slavery?list 2 of 3King Charles’s Caribbean tour: Will he discuss slavery reparations?list 3 of 3King Charles on Caribbean tour as calls grow for slavery reparationsend of list“We cannot change the actions of those who came before us,” Charles said. “We can, however, learn from the past.”The king said he was seeking ways to address the wrongs by improving access to education, investing in jobs, encouraging trade among Commonwealth countries and pushing for climate resilience.He ended the speech shor...