King Charles Expresses Sorrow Over Slavery but Stops Short of Formal Apology at Commonwealth Summit
King Charles III opened the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda by acknowledging the transatlantic slave trade as a 'shameful chapter' that causes him profound sorrow. However, he did not issue a formal apology or support financial reparations, instead focusing on education and trade. While Prime Minister Andy Burnham signaled openness to a state apology, Caribbean leaders and campaigners criticized the lack of concrete reparatory justice, demanding monetary compensation and debt cancellation.