Royal information stay: King Charles says painful previous nonetheless hurts as requires slavery reparations develop in Samoa
King Charles has acknowledged that the “most painful aspects” the Commonwealth’s past “continue to resonate”, as he indirectly acknowledged growing calls for slavery reprations in Samoa.
The gathering of presidents and prime ministers for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm) could see member states begin a “meaningful conversation” about the issue of reparations for slavery, according to reports.
The monarch acknowledged the need to “acknowledge where we have come from” as he told world leaders at the summit: “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.”
But Charles stopped short of mentioning financial reparations that some leaders at the event urged for and instead exhorted them to find the “right language” and an understanding of history “to guide us towards making the right choices in future where inequality exists”.
Earlier in the day, Charles enjoyed a truly royal welcome as he was declared the “High Chief” of his Pacific realm in a traditional Samoan village.
The King, dressed in white safari-style gear, was offered a mildly-intoxicating narcotic root drink in a half coconut, known locally as “kava”, a vital element of Pacific culture.
King acknowledges enduring pain of Commonwealth’s past
King Charles has acknowledged that the “most painful aspects” the Commonwealth’s past “continue to resonate”, as he indirectly acknowledged growing calls for slavery reprations in Samoa.
The gathering of presidents and prime ministers for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm) could see member states begin a “meaningful conversation” about the issue of reparations for slavery, according to reports.
The monarch acknowledged the need to “right inequalites that endure” as he told world leaders at the summit: “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.”
He added: “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.”
Pictured: King Charles III and Queen Camilla host an official dinner and reception
Commonwealth connections ‘more previous than ever’ in time of ‘horrifying conflict’, says King
The King has told world leaders about the importance of “connections” in a time of “ heightened global tensions” and “horrifying conflict”.
Charles used his first speech to the Commonwealth’s biennial summit in Samoa as head of the family of nations, to stress the importance of their relationships.
“At a time of heightened global tensions, of horrifying conflict and challenges of the greatest magnitude, it seems to me that these connections between us are more precious than ever,” he told the gathered leaders.
King toils away deep into the night, Queen jokes
Long after the Queen has gone to sleep, the King can be found “toiling” away into the small hours.
That’s what Queen Camilla joked of her 75-year-old husband’s diligence, as she gave a speech praising the work ethic of women.
At an event in Samoa led by leading domestic abuse campaigners from around the world, Camilla told the audience the legend of the men and women who were tasked with thatching the roof of Samoan chief Tautunu’s house.
“Although they started at the same time, the women finished their side first, as they had laboured through the night, while the men slept,” she told attendees of the women’s forum event at the major summit for Commonwealth leaders in Samoa.
“As one whose husband is often toiling into the small hours, long after my head is on the pillow, I should stress there are plenty of exceptions,” she added.
“But the moral of the proverb is: Women will turn their hands successfully to any task that must be done; and will work hard until it is completed.”
Indigenous Australian senator intensifies criticism of King Charles
An Indigenous senator has intensified her criticism of King Charles, again accusing the British monarch of complicity in the “genocide” against Australia’s First Nations peoples and declaring on Wednesday she will not be “shut down.”
Sen. Lidia Thorpe’s comments followed an encounter with the monarch at a parliamentary reception Monday where she was escorted out after shouting at him for British colonizers taking Indigenous land and bones.
Despite facing political and public backlash, Thorpe was resolute in a television interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and said she would continue to press for justice.
More here.
In Pics: King Charles officially open The King’s Garden in Apia
Watch: Alpaca sneezes on King Charles during walkabout in Australia
An alpaca sneezed on King Charles III as he greeted crowds on a walkabout in Canberra, Australia.
Owner Robert Fletcher brought nine-year-old alpaca Hefner to meet the monarch outside the Australian War Memorial.
Hefner was calmly waiting — wearing a crown and a gold bow tie — before leaving the King “in disbelief” with a sneeze after Charles stroked his nose.
Alpaca sneezes on King Charles during walkabout in Australia
An alpaca sneezed on King Charles III as he greeted crowds on a walkabout in Canberra, Australia, on Monday, 21 October. Owner Robert Fletcher brought nine-year-old alpaca Hefner to meet the monarch outside the Australian War Memorial. Hefner was calmly waiting — wearing a crown and a gold bow tie — before leaving the King “in disbelief” with a sneeze after Charles stroked his nose. Mr Fletcher said: “The King just looked in disbelief. But it’s just who Hefner is. He is an alpaca after all. “He doesn’t bite and he doesn’t spit. He’s always on his best behaviour anyway. “And he is a pro-monarchy alpaca.”
King Charles says the Commonwealth mattered ‘a great deal’ to his mother
King Charles said the Commonwealth mattered “a great deal” his late mother Queen Elizabeth II, who was seen as a unifying figure among the body.
Charles attended his first Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, or Chogm as Britain’s head of state yesterday, where he indirectly acknowledged calls from some of Britain’s former colonies for a reckoning over its role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
Britain’s handling of its involvement in the trans-Atlantic slave trade is seen by many observers as a litmus test for the Commonwealth’s adaptation to a modern-day world, as other European nations and some British institutions have started to own up to their role in the trade.
The UK has never formally apologized for its role in the trade, in which millions of African citizens were kidnapped and transported to plantations in the Caribbean and Americas over several centuries, enriching many individuals and companies.
Studies estimate Britain would owe between hundreds of millions and trillions of dollars in compensation to the descendants of slaves.
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 write the inequalities that endure,” said Charles.
Commonwealth slavery reparations debate: What could the UK be asked to pay?
Keir Starmer has faced renewed calls for Britain to pay slavery reparations which could far exceed £200bn as the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chgom) in Samoa gets underway.
A group of 15 Caribbean governments, as part of the Caribbean Community or ‘Caricom’ organisation, have all agreed to table reparations on the Chgom agenda when the group meets.
Defying the UK, with Sir Keir saying he does not want to discuss the matter, a draft communique for the summit places it firmly on the agenda, reading: “Heads, noting calls for discussions on reparatory justice with regard to the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans and chattel enslavement… agreed that the time has come for a meaningful, truthful and respectful conversation towards forging a common future based on equity.”
All three candidates for the position of Commonwealth Secretary-General role have supported reparations for transatlantic slavery and colonialism.
Nadine White reports.
Source: independent.co.uk