King Charles is wrapping up a nine-day Caribbean tour spanning the Bahamas, Guyana, and Antigua and Barbuda today. The high-stakes tour balanced environmental diplomacy with intense regional debates over the British Empire's legacy of slavery and calls for reparations. The King was joined by his wife, Queen Camilla, halfway through his tour.
King's CHOGM address draws attention
The monarch's opening address at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Antigua today had become of heightened interest after Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he would be "open" to the possibility of the UK formally apologising for its role in slavery.
The King said: "History is not ours to choose or change. Our history inspires us, can appall us, yet it can always teach us. We cannot change the actions of those who came before us. We can, however, learn from the past." He also used his speech to reflect on the slave trade.
Royal Navy's role highlighted
The King noted that it still "casts a shadow over these islands and other Members of our Commonwealth" and highlighted the key role the British Royal Navy played in bringing an end to the abhorrent trade.
Since his comments, Andy Burnham has denied accusations that he "made things difficult" for the King. He told ITV News: "No, we're reaching out and listening, and the whole aim here is to, you know, come and listen to people and bring a new approach to the Commonwealth. So the aim has been to bring people together, and we think in the end that will be more positive."
Royal Family's historical links to slavery
The Royal Family has a long association with the transportation and selling of enslaved people for profit. Queen Elizabeth I backed the lucrative dealings of John Hawkins, who was one of Britain's first slave traders, and King Charles II encouraged the expansion of the enterprise.
As the King arrived in the Bahamas for the first day of his tour last Tuesday, he took time to acknowledge "the great suffering" caused by Britain's historic role in the transatlantic slave trade. During a speech upon his arrival, the King reflected on the colonial legacy.
