Buckingham Palace announced on Saturday that King Charles III will speak about Great Britain’s role in the transatlantic slave trade with “unflinching honesty and sincere sorrow.”
Ahead of his major address to leaders of the Commonwealth, King Charles III engaged with local youth groups and artists at Government House in Antigua and Barbuda.
The royal couple is wrapping up a nine-day Caribbean tour that has rekindled scrutiny regarding Britain’s historical involvement in transatlantic slavery.
At the start of the trip, Charles acknowledged “the great suffering of the past.”
However, several Caribbean countries continue to demand a formal apology from the British state along with monetary reparations.
On Tuesday, Charles plans to address “the most shameful aspects” of British history with “unflinching honesty, and sincere sorrow,” according to Saturday’s statement from Buckingham Palace. The Palace emphasized the monarch’s “respect for the wider discussions that will be taking place between relevant governments on this issue.”
These statements follow remarks from UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who expressed openness toward a official British apology while dismissing the possibility of paying reparations.
The Palace noted that it would be improper for Charles to “address matters of particular policy relating to the UK government’s position.”
