'It wouldn't hurt': Commonwealth chief calls on King Charles to apologise for slavery ahead of his Caribbean tour

Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the Commonwealth's secretary-general, told Sky News the 'time has come' to talk about reparations for slavery. She said member nations had asked for a royal apology and added: 'I don't believe we can run away from it.' The King is due to visit the Bahamas, Guyana and Antigua and Barbuda. Palace aides insist he will not say sorry.

Ministers have not advised the King to apologise or offer reparations, in line with official policy.

Botchwey floated debt relief, climate help and returning cultural artefacts as reparations in kind.

A Jamaican government delegation filed a reparations petition in London last month.