Slave trade remains a shameful chapter in history – King Charles

King Charles III of the United Kingdom has described the transatlantic slave trade as a shameful chapter in human history, expressing profound sorrow over its enduring impact on Commonwealth countries.

Speaking at the opening of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda, the monarch said the history of slavery continued to cast a long shadow over the Caribbean and other parts of the Commonwealth.

He described the trade in enslaved Africans as a chapter that “fills my heart with horror and my soul with the most profound personal sorrow”.

“We cannot change the actions of those who came before us. We can, however, learn from the past,” he said.

King Charles said his growing understanding of historical injustices, shaped by listening and learning, had strengthened his commitment to building modern partnerships that address the wrongs of the past through practical action.

His remarks come amid renewed international calls for recognition and reparative justice for the transatlantic slave trade.

The monarch said the Commonwealth could respond to historical injustices by expanding access to education, investing in employment and economic opportunities, promoting intra-Commonwealth trade and supporting climate resilience.

He added that the Commonwealth should not be defined solely by its history but should also address the challenges facing member states today.

On March 25, 2026, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans and racialised chattel enslavement the “gravest crime against humanity”.

The resolution, spearheaded by Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama and backed by the African Union and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), received 123 votes in favour.

The declaration has added momentum to international discussions on the historical legacy of slavery, recognition and reparative justice.