King Charles is expected to address slavery in his keynote address on the final leg of his Caribbean tour in Antigua.
The monarch will deliver a speech at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and will address the “most shameful aspects of the past,” according to Buckingham Palace.
Amid growing calls for an apology, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that he is “open” to Britain making a formal apology for past mistakes associated with the slave trade.
Palace’s spokesperson shared, “As we have indicated, the King will not shy away from confronting the most shameful aspects of the past during this Visit. You may therefore expect him to address them in his speech with unflinching honesty, sincere sorrow, and respect for the wider discussions that will be taking place between relevant governments on this issue at CHOGM and beyond.
“He will be speaking at CHOGM in his capacity as Head of the Commonwealth.
“It would not be appropriate for him to address matters of particular policy relating to the UK Government’s position.
“In keeping with the CHOGM agenda of ‘Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth ‘, His Majesty’s speech will therefore primarily focus on encouraging practical solutions and united efforts to address global challenges and opportunities relevant to all 56 members of the Commonwealth family today.”
