"Fills my heart with horror": Charles opens Commonwealth summit

King Charles opened the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting on Tuesday in St John's, the capital of Antigua and Barbuda. In his speech he spoke about the slave trade, saying it "fills my heart with horror and my soul with the most profound personal sorrow".

Queen Camilla was with the King when they arrived at the National Performing Arts Centre at ten in the morning. Delegates stood as the King and Queen entered the hall. The summit brings together leaders from the Commonwealth's 56 countries, and it is the first time the Head of the Commonwealth has visited Antigua and Barbuda.

"We can learn from the past"

The King began with a joke. He attended his first Commonwealth summit almost 30 years ago, when the internet was so new that people called it the "information superhighway". "I suspect that, thirty years later, many of those early users are still trying to remember their first passwords!" he said.

Then the tone turned serious. "History is not ours to choose or to change," the King said. "We cannot change the actions of those who came before us. We can, however, learn from the past." He said the transatlantic slave trade still casts a shadow over the Caribbean islands and other Commonwealth members.

The King also said history teaches that "evil need not have the last word", noting the leading role the Royal Navy played in ending the trade in enslaved people.

He said that through listening and learning he has become more committed to addressing the wrongs of the past with action for the future. "As any sailor navigating the seas knows, we cannot command the winds, but we can choose how we set our sails," he said.

The King did not apologise for slavery. According to Buckingham Palace, as Head of the Commonwealth he does not address British government policy.

Climate and trade

The rest of the speech looked to the future. The King called climate change "a catastrophic reality", saying that small island states have contributed little to the problem but are among those paying the highest price. He also spoke about trade within the Commonwealth, which according to the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council is 21 per cent cheaper.

He thanked Antigua and Barbuda for their hospitality and mentioned Sunday's Independence celebrations. "For one of the smallest nations on Earth, your impact in the world is tremendous," he said, quoting the saying "Small Island, Big Vibes".

Finally, the King said he hoped the Commonwealth's young people can look to the future "with greater confidence and purpose".

Dance and a family photo

During the ceremony, Antigua and Barbuda took over as Chair-in-Office from Samoa. Samoa's Deputy Prime Minister, Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molio'o, presented the hosts with a traditional Samoan garment.

The opening ended with a performance by young people from Antigua and Barbuda telling the country's story through music, dance and theatre. The King tapped his feet and clapped along. Afterwards the leaders gathered on stage for the traditional family photo.