King Charles visits Caribbean amid calls for slavery apology

King Charles III visited the Caribbean in late October 2026, stopping in The Bahamas, Guyana, and Antigua and Barbuda. He attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda, where leaders from 56 countries discussed major global issues. During the trip, Caribbean leaders pushed the King to formally apologise for Britain's role in the slave trade. The Bahamas' reparations committee warned him not to arrive without offering something concrete. Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey said an apology "wouldn't hurt." Guyanese President Irfaan Ali said a formal apology was "the next step" after Charles had already called slavery one of history's darkest periods. However, the King's aides said he would acknowledge past wrongs but would not issue a formal apology.