Reparations row: The King understands 'painful' aspects of the past

ITV News Royal Editor Chris Ship reports from Samoa as the King came head to head with the slavery reparations row

The King has formally opened the Commonwealth summit in Samoa and told the meeting that he understands the pain many countries continue to feel about Britain’s past behaviour and role in the slave trade.

Given that the Commonwealth was formed from the ashes of the British Empire, most of its members know Britain as a former colonial power and some are calling for the UK to pay reparations.

The British government has resisted demands for an apology and the King today did not mention the word slavery by name.

But referring to calls from many Caribbean nations for compensation from Britain, King Charles said: “Our cohesion requires that we acknowledge where we have come from. I understand, from listening to people across the Commonwealth, how the most painful aspects of our past continue to resonate.”

The King paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth’s years of service to the Commonwealth: "(It) mattered a great deal to my dear mother”, he said.

He pledged to do the same, adding, “For my part, I can assure you today that for however many years God grants me, I will join you and the people of the Commonwealth on every step of this journey.”

Many leaders from the Caribbean region were missing from the opening ceremony. And the loudest voices on the issue, like the Barbados Prime Minister, Mia Mottley, were not on the stage.

Despite the meeting being called the Commonwealth Heads of Government summit, I counted only 20 prime ministers and presidents at the opening session for the King’s address, fewer than half of the 56 member states.

Many sent their foreign ministers. Bangladesh only managed to rustle up a “Special Foreign Affairs Adviser”.

Significant absentees included the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the South African President Cyril Ramaphosa – both of whom chose to attend a summit in Russia with President Vladimir Putin and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping.

Even Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau opted to stay at home to deal with his domestic political troubles rather than travel to Samoa.

It leaves the Commonwealth open to questions about its relevance in 2024.

Watch in full as the King delivered his landmark speech at the Commonwealth Summit in Samoa

The King spoke of the Commonwealth’s “togetherness” as its members represent over a third of the world’s population.

He said: “We can discuss the most challenging issues with openness and respect.

“It is vital, therefore, that we understand our history – to guide us to make the right choices in the future”, the King said.

The Foreign Minister of the Bahamas, Fred Mitchell, was among those making renewed calls for the Prime Minister and King to commit to reparations.

He told ITV News: "The arc of history will move in that direction at this meeting. This is the important time to do it. The monarchy has said it should move in that direction.

"The Prime Minister of Britain intellectually is there, so it's only a question of making the step to make the commitment. And I think it's not difficult to do it, just do it."

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was asked about the demands for British reparations over its links to the transatlantic slave trade.

He told ITV News: “I think we should look forward, not backwards. That doesn't mean we don't want to talk about what happened, that we shouldn't have those discussions.”

“We have to acknowledge that the slave trade, the business, the practice of slavery was abhorrent. And we should be absolutely clear that is history. We can't change our history."

But Sir Keir said he would be urging delegates to focus on the threat posed by climate change and trade opportunities within the Commonwealth, instead.

The prime minister was in the hall as the King told delegates: “None of us can change the past. But we can commit, with all our hearts to learning its lessons and to finding creative ways to right inequalities that endure.”

All three candidates set to be the next Secretary-General and replace Patricia Scotland are from Africa. They will likely keep driving forward the issue of reparations, long after this summit has closed.

Subscribe free to our weekly newsletter for exclusive and original coverage from ITV News. Direct to your inbox every Friday morning.

This is the Talking Royals - our weekly podcast about the royal family, with ITV News Royal Editor Chris Ship and Producer Lizzie Robinson