King Charles addressed the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda this morning, where he spoke at length about the history of the transatlantic slave trade.
“We cannot change the actions of those who came before us. We can, however, learn from the past,” he said. “The transatlantic trade in enslaved persons still casts a shadow over these islands and other Members of our Commonwealth. 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.”
History teaches, he emphasized, that “evil need not have the last word; that character and courage can combine to overcome the most monstrous injustice.”
“The more I have furthered my own understanding of the issues, through listening, learning and looking, the more committed I have become to finding ways for us to work in modern partnership to address the wrongs of the past with action for the future. Through improving access to education, investing in jobs and opportunities, encouraging intra-Commonwealth trade, and inspiring vital climate resilience measures across the world, I have always felt that there is so much that can be ...