Commonwealth Leaders Descend on Antigua as King Charles Faces Slavery Reckoning

Leaders representing nearly a third of the world's population are meeting this week on the tiny Caribbean island of Antigua for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, held every two years. More than 50 leaders of Commonwealth nations are scheduled to attend the four-day summit, which runs November 1-4, along with officials from Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Brazil, and the United Arab Emirates.

The summit's theme is 'Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth,' and new deals and pledges are expected to emerge from the gathering. The meeting will also host forums focused on business, women, and young people, and will close with a retreat of heads of government and a final communiqué.

King Charles III, head of the Commonwealth, is attending alongside Queen Camilla after visiting the Bahamas and Guyana last week. The King and Queen attended a special Sunday church service in St. John's celebrating the 'family of nations,' where they were told the voices of small states must be heard for there to be true partnerships.

The King is set to formally open the meeting on Tuesday with a speech addressing Britain's role in the transatlantic slave trade. Buckingham Palace has said he will speak with 'unflinching honesty and sincere sorrow' but is not expected to offer a formal apology, which the Palace says remains a matter for the government.

The question of an apology has dominated the run-up to the summit. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has signaled he is considering issuing a formal apology on behalf of the UK, while ruling out financial reparations and instead suggesting a debt-restructuring program for the poorest Commonwealth countries. Caribbean leaders, including Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, have welcomed the offer of dialogue.