UK king calls slavery ‘monstrous injustice’ as PM mulls apology
King Charles III said slavery's legacy still casts a shadow over Britain and other members of the 56-nation Commonwealth.
UK King Charles III described the transatlantic slave trade as a "monstrous injustice" during a Commonwealth summit in Antigua and Barbuda. The nine-day visit to three Caribbean nations by the 77-year-old monarch has brought the issue of slavery to the forefront. Prime Minister Andy Burnham is discussing a formal apology for Britain's role in slavery with Commonwealth leaders.
Burnham, who took office in July, has ruled out paying financial reparations demanded by some Caribbean countries, but is open to expressing an official apology. The UK royal family benefited from the slave trade, but the 79-year-old king is politically neutral and not expected to issue an apology. The UK is pursuing a "debt reset" plan for the poorest Commonwealth countries, led by Gordon Brown, without offering reparations.
The issue of slavery has strained relations between Britain and its former colonies, including an awkward meeting of Commonwealth leaders in 2024.
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- UK king calls slavery ‘monstrous injustice’ as PM mulls apology freemalaysiatoday.com
