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King Charles and PM Burnham to address UK role in slave trade at Commonwealth meeting

· ≈ Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas · single source so far

The British monarch and Prime Minister Andy Burnham are set to speak at the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Antigua, with the king expected to give a candid speech on Britain's role in the slave trade.

Location
≈ Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas · Bahamas live map
Coordinates
≈ 17.12°N 61.85°W
Reported
3 Nov 2026, 12:58 UTC
Category
Diplomacy
Impact
1 of 5 · Watch
Situation
UK politics
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King Charles and PM Burnham to speak on slave trade at Commonwealth summit in Antigua

The Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Antigua and Barbuda begins Tuesday, with King Charles and Prime Minister Andy Burnham set to speak, and the king expected to give a candid speech on Britain's role in the slave trade. Downing Street says Burnham will launch a 'structured dialogue' on the form of a formal apology. Ralph Gonsalves says British officials initially insisted reparations stay off the agenda and warned Burnham might skip the summit; reparations remain off the formal agenda.

  • Al Jazeera reported on Saturday that Burnham is open to a formal apology but rules out financial reparations.
  • Gonsalves says Burnham has agreed to structured dialogue on reparatory justice.
  • Police in London arrested 48 people on Saturday at a protest against the Palestine Action ban, days before a UK Supreme Court appeal over the ban.
  • Former chancellor Rachel Reeves wrote in the Sunday Times that Britain's future lies in the EU and backed Burnham.
Updated 3 Nov 2026, 13:18 UTC · Written by Claude from the reports on this page and on the map. Check the linked sources for full details.

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