King Charles III addressed world leaders in Antigua and said he feels sorrow over the slave trade, The Washington Post reports. The remarks came as his Caribbean tour got under way, according to the BBC, which said the King acknowledged "suffering of the past."
The Washington Post's headline places the speech before an audience of world leaders gathered in Antigua. The reporting available does not include the full text of the King's remarks, so the precise wording of his statement has not been independently confirmed here.
The address lands amid a wider debate over how Britain should reckon with its role in slavery. The BBC reports that the Prime Minister plans a debt reset for Commonwealth nations as talks about a slavery apology begin. The Guardian, in a separate piece, argued that British people cannot be made to pay for the wrongs of slavery but that the country must still confront its complicated history.
The King's comments also drew political reaction at home. According to The News International, Prime Minister Andy Burnham rejected the suggestion that the government's position on a slavery apology had caused difficulties for King Charles.
What to watch next: whether the King's expression of sorrow is followed by formal talks on apology or reparations among Commonwealth governments, and how Downing Street frames its position as the debate continues.
