Prince Charles expresses ‘sorrow’ over slavery’s ‘enduring impact’ at Commonwealth meeting in Rwanda 

The Prince of Wales urged leaders “acknowledge the wrongs which have shaped our past” at the opening of a Commonwealth summit in Rwanda.

He recognised the roots of the family of nations “run deep into the most painful period of our history” and acknowledging the wrongs of the past was a “conversation whose time has come”.

Charles told the gathering he could not “describe the depths of my personal sorrow at the suffering of so many” during slavery.

Charles, who will succeed the Queen as head of the Commonwealth, said: “For while we strive together for peace, prosperity and democracy, I want to acknowledge that the roots of our contemporary association run deep into the most painful period of our history.

“I cannot describe the depths of my personal sorrow at the suffering of so many, as I continue to deepen my own understanding of slavery’s enduring impact.

“If we are to forge a common future that benefits all our citizens, we too must find new ways to acknowledge our past. Quite simply, this is a conversation whose time has come.”

The prince is representing the Queen at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm).

However, his visit to the Rwandan capital Kigali has been overshadowed by a row after a newspaper reported he criticised the Government’s scheme to send asylum seekers to the east African nation.

The prince told the world leaders the family of nations was “uniquely positioned to achieve such positive change in our world”.

He added: “To achieve this potential for good, however, and to unlock the power of our common future, we must also acknowledge the wrongs which have shaped our past.

“Many of those wrongs belong to an earlier age with different – and, in some ways lesser – values. By working together, we are building a new and enduring friendship.”

Charles and Mr Johnson had met briefly before they joined leaders from the Commonwealth’s 54 member states in the Kigali Conference Centre’s main hall for the opening ceremony.

Mr Johnson said he had a “good old chinwag” with the Prince of Wales in Rwanda during their first talks since Charles reportedly criticised his asylum policy as “appalling”.

He said: “It was a good old chinwag and we certainly covered a lot of ground and … you can certainly take away from what the prince said today in his opening address to the summit, is that everyone can see the huge, huge progress that Rwanda has made.” 

Reference: Evening Standard: Sami Quadri