The head of the Caribbean's reparations commission has called on King Charles III to support slavery reparations negotiations at next month's Commonwealth leaders summit in Antigua and Barbuda.
Professor Hilary Beckles, chair of the Caricom reparations commission, addressed a press conference ahead of the Commonwealth heads of government meeting (Chogm). He appealed to the king as a "human brother" whose family he said had benefited from slavery.
Beckles urged Charles to use his influence to advance reparations talks between Britain and Caribbean nations. He called on the king to ensure the Commonwealth becomes a "moral institution committed to human justice," according to the Guardian.
The appeal comes as the Commonwealth prepares to convene leaders in the Caribbean next month. Beckles framed the reparations question as a test of the institution's values and the king's personal commitment to addressing historical injustices tied to the transatlantic slave trade.