King Charles Calls Slavery a Monstrous Injustice
King Charles III has called the transatlantic slave trade “a monstrous injustice”. He spoke on Tuesday at the opening of the Commonwealth summit in Antigua and Barbuda.
The monarch told the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in St John’s that slavery “still casts a shadow over these islands and other members” of the 56-nation group. Many members are former British colonies.
What King Charles said about slavery
“As I have said before, that shameful chapter of history is one that fills my heart with horror and my soul with the most profound personal sorrow,” the king said.
He added that history also teaches that evil need not have the last word. Character and courage combined to overcome the monstrous injustice, he said, as they did with the determination to end the international trade in enslaved people, in which the Royal Navy played a leading role.
The comments come as UK leader Andy Burnham uses his appearance at the summit to hold talks about apologising for Britain’s role in slavery. That trade saw about 10 to 15 million enslaved people brought from Africa to the Americas over four centuries. In 1833, the UK parliament passed a law to abolish slavery in most of the British Empire.
Apology talks, but no reparations
Burnham, the Labour premier in office since July, said at the weekend that he was open to saying sorry. He ruled out paying the financial reparations demanded by some Caribbean countries.
He wrote in the Guardian on Saturday that he would have “difficult conversations” to safeguard the Commonwealth’s future. “Listening to calls for a formal apology on behalf of the British state will form an important part of this process and I am open to them,” he wrote. He insisted, however, that reparations were “not the right answer”, saying British people today should not be “held liable for historical wrongs, however heinous”.
Opposition Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said Britain should not apologise. She argues that an apology would boost countries’ claims for financial compensation.
Burnham discussed slavery with Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley during a meeting on Monday. They discussed how Britain “was offering a structured dialogue for communities impacted by the transatlantic slave trade”, including the “next steps”, Downing Street said.
The king himself is politically neutral and is not expected to offer an apology. A palace spokesperson also said “it would not be appropriate” for the king to announce a change in government policy. Britain’s part in slavery has long strained relations with its former colonies. The UK royal family benefited from the trade.
Debt reset and Caribbean funding instead
Instead of reparations, London is pursuing a “debt reset” plan for the poorest Commonwealth countries. Former Labour prime minister Gordon Brown leads that plan, which could alter interest rates on repayments.
The UK will also allocate $54 million over three years for infrastructure improvements in the Caribbean, including renewable energy. The issue of slavery has loomed large over Charles’s nine-day visit to three Caribbean countries.
The debate is not new, but the summit gives it a fresh stage. Feature Pakistan has followed the apology question since October. UK Slavery Apology Open, Reparations Ruled Out reported Burnham’s earlier position: open to an apology, against reparations.
Caribbean voices have pushed the justice question further. Slavery Reparations Heirs Back Caribbean Justice Call covered heirs of enslaved people backing the Caribbean call for justice. Burnham’s debt reset and infrastructure funding answer part of that demand, but they stop short of reparations.
What happens next
The summit continues with further bilateral meetings. The key question is whether those talks produce a formal apology or only a restatement of the current position.
For Commonwealth members, the wording matters: an apology would be a first for the British state on slavery.
Frequently asked questions
What did King Charles say about slavery?
He called the transatlantic slave trade “a monstrous injustice” and said that shameful chapter fills his heart with horror and his soul with profound personal sorrow.
Where did King Charles make the remarks?
He spoke at the opening of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda, on Tuesday.
Is the UK prime minister planning an apology?
Andy Burnham is holding talks with Commonwealth leaders about a formal apology and has said he is open to one. He has ruled out paying financial reparations.
Why does the opposition oppose an apology?
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch argues Britain should not apologise because it would boost countries’ claims for financial compensation.
What is the UK offering instead of reparations?
London is pursuing a debt reset plan for the poorest Commonwealth countries, led by Gordon Brown, and will allocate $54 million over three years for Caribbean infrastructure, including renewable energy.
