British monarch Charles Philip George III has expressed personal sorrow over the transatlantic slave trade, describing it as a shameful chapter of history that still casts a shadow over the Caribbean and other Commonwealth nations.

Speaking on Tuesday at the opening of the 28th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), the monarch said, “Our Commonwealth family has mattered greatly to me for my whole life—and now, particularly, as king and head of the Commonwealth—to which I have always tried to offer whatever service I can, especially in support of young people, of whom Commonwealth countries can count more than a billion, not to mention the protection of the uniquely important natural environments we each depend upon.”

“We cannot change the actions of those who came before us. We can, however, learn from the past. The transatlantic trade in enslaved persons still casts a shadow over these islands and other members of our Commonwealth. As I have said before, that shameful chapter of history is one that fills my heart with horror and my soul with the most profound personal sorrow.”

Speaking at the opening, he said that the meeting in Kigali, Apia, and now St John’s in just four short years shows the Commonwealth’s extraordinary span and the diversity it represents.

According to him, although member countries have different histories, circumstances and perspectives, their differences inspire them in their shared endeavours and strengthen them in their common cause.

“Our histories, circumstances and perspectives may differ, but together they inspire us in our shared endeavours and strengthen us in our common cause,” he added.

The monarch said climate change is no longer a terrifying prospect but a reality threatening ways of life and nature under constant attack. He added that the essence of the Commonwealth lives in its people, through partnership and shared solutions that drive cooperation among member states.