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By CNN Royal Correspondent Max Foster and Lauren Said-Moorhouse in London

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Britain's King Charles III has told world leaders that "none of us can change the past" but that nations can commit to finding "creative ways to right inequalities that endure," as calls grow for reparatory justice for the transatlantic slave trade.
 
The 75-year-old monarch was speaking to leaders and dignitaries from the 56 Commonwealth nations at the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, or CHOGM, which is this year being held on the Pacific island nation of Samoa.
 
He used his first address to the summit since becoming head of the organization to call for unity, asking leaders to "find the right ways, and the right language" to address contemporary problems rooted in the past.
 
"Our cohesion requires that we acknowledge where we have come from. I understand from listening to people across the Commonwealth how the most painful aspects of our past continue to resonate," Charles said. "It is vital therefore that we understand our history, to guide us to make the right choices in the future."
 
A row over reparations has gained momentum in recent days after renewed calls from some members for Britain to pay compensation for its historical role in slavery. Ahead of the gathering, the BBC reported that diplomats were preparing text for the summit's official communique that would commit to a "meaningful, truthful and respectful conversation" on the issue.
 
Downing Street has insisted that the topic is not on the agenda. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is attending the summit, told the BBC on Thursday that the trade was "abhorrent," but "that we should be forward looking" and focus on "today's challenges" such as resilience in the face of the climate crisis and increasing trade between Commonwealth countries.

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Meanwhile, UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves ruled out any payments in the future.

"We're not going to be paying out the reparations that some countries are speaking about," she told the BBC earlier Thursday. "I understand why they make those demands but that's not something that this government is doing."
 
The King, who did not directly refer to slavery during his address, emphasized that the Commonwealth represents "a third of humanity" and urged leaders to "discuss the most challenging issues with openness and respect."
 
"As we look around the world and consider its many deeply concerning challenges, let us choose within our Commonwealth family the language of community and respect, and reject the language of division," Charles added.
 
Read the full story on CNN.

Why the UK is facing fresh calls for slavery reparations.

Even before the Commonwealth leaders summit kicked off, a conversation about slavery reparations threatened to overshadow the biennial meeting. Pressure re-emerged after the BBC reported that a bloc of Caribbean nations were pushing for reparatory justice to be added to the agenda in Samoa. 

Britain enslaved 3.1 million Africans between 1640 and 1807, transporting them to colonies around the world, according to Historic England, a government-funded organization. Many of these people were taken to the Caribbean to work on sugar plantations, which made their owners wealthy through the export of sugar, molasses and rum, according to the National Archives.
 
The growing momentum around reparatory justice puts the King in an awkward position. He has often expressed remorse over the years but always stopped short of an apology. That's because he has to toe the line of his government and Downing Street has repeatedly insisted it will not be drawn into a conversation on reparations.
 
Read more in this 2023 Op-Ed about what's stopping the King from saying "sorry" for slavery.

King Charles was of course in Samoa as part of an 11-day trip which also saw him visit Australia. Here's a look back at some of the best snaps from the past week: 

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Charles and Camilla attend a service at St. Thomas' Anglican Church in North Sydney on day three of their royal tour. Following the Anglican Church service, the couple met some of the congregation on the church grounds. They were accompanied by Anglican Archbishop of Sydney Reverend Kanishka Raffel and Bishop Chris Edwards on Sunday. 

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King Charles III greets spectators during a visit to the Sydney Opera House on Tuesday. The King's trip to Australia was his first as monarch. He is head of state of 14 realms in addition to the United Kingdom.   

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The royal couple take part in a true Aussie staple, grabbing the tongs and popping a couple of sausages on the barbie while at Parramatta Park on Tuesday.

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The King is welcomed to Samoa by the island nation's prime minister, Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, upon their arrival at Faleolo International Airport on Wednesday. 

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King Charles III and politician Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster walk across a restored boardwalk as the British monarch visits the Mangrove Restoration Project on Thursday at Moata'a Village near the Samoan capital.

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Charles cracks jokes as he meets a local traditional cricket team while at the Samoa Cultural Village on Thursday. The venue is designed to celebrate the importance of heritage arts, crafts, culture, enterprise and sport in Samoa. 

Watch: The moment Australian lawmaker heckles the King.

One of the defining moments from this royal tour will undoubtedly become when Australian independent senator Lidia Thorpe heckled King Charles III at Australia's Parliament House. During his speech, the King had acknowledged Australia's First Nations people, who lived on the land before British settlers. Take a look at the moment again below:

This week's trip was Charles' 17th to Australia -- his first as monarch and no less eventful than some of his previous excursions Down Under. His first ever trip there was during his teens when, in 1966, he went on exchange for two semesters at Timbertop, a remote outpost of the Geelong Church of England Grammar School in Melbourne. But another notable experience for him would likely have been in 1979 when a chance encounter led to a stolen kiss on a Perth beach.

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Charles, then an eligible 30-year-old prince, was touring Western Australia on behalf of his mother. As he finished his regular early morning swim, Charles was intercepted by Jane Priest, a bikini-clad 26-year-old model who giggled as she placed her hands on the bashful royal's shoulders and, to his surprise, planted a kiss on his cheek.
 
Learn more about what was subsequently dubbed Charles' "Bond" moment here.

"Our Commonwealth's 75-year history offers hope, inspiration and -- crucially -- solutions. Leaders from around the globe are willing to meet, as equals, and to have difficult, and constructive, conversations."

– Queen Camilla on ending domestic and sexual violence

The Queen Consort delivered a speech at a women's forum event on the sidelines of the Commonwealth leaders' summit in Samoa. Read Camilla's full speech here. 

CNN's Kathy Rose O'Brien contributed to this newsletter.