King Charles has finally acknowledged the "wrongs of the past" as he delivered a keynote speech at the Commonwealth Summit on Tuesday. In an apparent nod to Britain's role in the slave trade, King Charles told world leaders, "We cannot change the actions of those who came before us," adding, "We can, however, learn from the past." Charles, the head of the Commonwealth, stopped short of a full apology amid calls for Britain to pay reparations.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has previously addressed Britain's slavery past, was also in attendance. The King added: "History is not ours to choose or to change.

It is bequeathed to us in complex synthesis by forebears we can never know. Our inheritance includes both their achievements and their failures - the good they did as well as the wrongs."

He continued: "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."

The 76-year-old monarch noted: "In a desperately troubled world, the Commonwealth has welcomed new members who see the unique value of this organisation. All around us, trust between nations is under critical strain.

Brutal conflict stalks our world, and climate change is no longer just a terrifying prospect, but a catastrophic reality." He concluded: "Today, the leadership of this unique institution is in your hands. I pray that you will renew your determination to build a Commonwealth in which prosperity and nature flourish side by side, and in which trade creates opportunity from which everyone can benefit."