King Charles III Addresses US Congress During State Visit to Washington
British monarch's speech emphasizes 250 years of US-UK alliance, jokes about shared language
Quick Look
- King Charles III addressed a joint session of US Congress during his state visit to Washington, becoming the first British monarch to speak there since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991.
- The King emphasized the enduring alliance between the US and UK as the US approaches its 250th anniversary of independence, referencing Oscar Wilde and calling for continued cooperation on climate and shared values.
AI-generated summary
King Charles III and Queen Camilla continued their four-day state visit to the US on Tuesday with an aircraft flyover at the White House, a meeting in the Oval Office and a speech from the King to Congress. The trip, which comes as the US approaches the 250th anniversary of its independence from Britain, is aimed at celebrating the strong relationship between the two countries. The King arrived in the House of Representatives chamber to applause from hundreds of onlookers, including top US officials. He followed in the footsteps of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who had addressed the chamber in 1991. In his speech, the King said the destinies of the US and UK had been interlinked ever since America's independence. "As Oscar Wilde said, 'We have really everything in common with America nowadays except, of course, language!'" the King joked to laughter from his audience. "As we look toward the next 250 years, we must also reflect on our shared responsibility to safeguard Nature, our most precious and irreplaceable asset," he said. "I pray with all my heart that our alliance will continue to defend our shared values, with our partners in Europe and the Commonwealth, and across the world, and that we ignore the clarion calls to become ever more inward-looking." On Tuesday morning, the royals received a ceremonial welcome at the White House, where President Trump presented a military spectacle to the King and Queen, including gun salutes and bugles. President Trump gave a speech in front of the White House, in which he joked it was a beautiful British day - an apparent reference to the rainy conditions, which drew laughter. Trump said the King's speech to Congress later was "going to make everyone very envious of that beautiful accent". "He's a very elegant man," Trump said, before describing "the noble spirit of the British" and discussing the UK and US's shared history. Following Trump's remarks, the King, Queen, president and first lady walked up the steps to the balcony overlooking the White House South Lawn to observe a flyover and troops marching below.
