King Charles expresses ‘sorrow’ in Antigua over the slave trade

At the opening of the Commonwealth summit in Antigua and Barbuda, King Charles III said the transatlantic slave trade filled him with “horror” and “the most profound personal sorrow”. He acknowledged that the trade still casts a shadow over Caribbean islands and other Commonwealth members, while noting the Royal Navy’s leading role in ending it. Charles offered no formal apology or measures to address slavery’s economic and social damage, instead citing education, jobs, trade and climate resilience. Guyanese President Mohamed Irfaan Ali said an apology should be the king’s next step, while UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has expressed openness to a formal apology but ruled out financial reparations.