In honor of the United States’ 250th birthday, King Charles III delivered a joint address in Congress Tuesday afternoon, highlighting the bond between the U.S. and the United Kingdom.
The king received a warm and enthusiastic welcome in a chamber often at odds with each other, while defending the NATO alliance.
The monarch’s speech was peppered with historical references and a bit of humor, bonding the two nations through their shared values and history.
The monarch began his speech by addressing Saturday’s shooting at the White House Correspondence Dinner, “with unshakable resolve, such acts of violence will never succeed.”
“Whatever our differences, whatever disagreements we may have, we stand united in our commitment to uphold democracy, to protect all our people from harm, and to salute the courage of those who daily risk their lives in the service of country,” the king said.
“Standing here today, it is hard not to feel the weight of history on my shoulder, because the modern relationship between our two nations and our own peoples spans not merely 250 years, but over four centuries,” he told Congress.
“As I look back across the centuries, Mr. Speaker, emerge certain patterns, certain self-evident truths from which we can learn and draw strength with a spirit of 1776, in our minds, we can perhaps agree that we do not always agree, at least in the first instance,” he continued.
“King George, as you know, never set foot in America, and please rest assured, I’m not here as a part of some cunning rear-guard action,” the king quipped, with the chamber erupting in laughter.
“Two hundred and fifty years ago, or as we say in the United Kingdom, just the other day, they declared independence by balancing contending forces and drawing strength in diversity. They united 13 disparate colonies to forge a nation on the revolutionary idea of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” Charles said. “They carried with them and carried forward great inheritance of the British enlightenment, as well as the ideals which had an even deeper history in English, common law and the Magna Carta.”
King Charles underscored the importance of the two nations uniting in leading the rest of the world.
“It is my hope, my prayer, that in these turbulent times, working together and with our international partners, we can stem the beating of plowshares into swords,” the king said.
“The alliance that our two nations have built over the centuries, and for which we are profoundly grateful to the American people, is truly unique, and that alliance is part of what Henry Kissinger described as Kennedy’s soaring vision of an Atlantic partnership based on twin pillars, Europe and America.”
Charles pointed to the challenges in the world, highlighting the current threat in Europe as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues.
“It is an era that is in many ways more volatile and more dangerous than the world to which my late mother spoke in this chamber in 1991, the challenges we face are too great for any one nation to bear alone, but in this unpredictable environment, our alliance cannot rest on past achievements or assume that foundational principles simply endure. As my prime minister said last month, ours is an indispensable partnership. We must not disregard everything that has sustained us for the last 80 years. Instead, we must build on it, renewal,” said the monarch.
The king reminded the chamber of NATO’s response following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, in an attempt to defend the alliance following threats by President Donald Trump to pull out of it.
“This year, of course, also marks the 25th anniversary of 911, this atrocity was a defining moment for America, and your pain and shock were felt around the whole world….We stood with you then, and we stand with you now in solemn remembrance of a day that shall never be forgotten…In the immediate aftermath of 911 when NATO invoked Article Five for the first time, and the United Nations Security Council was united in the face of terror, we answered the call together, as our people have done so for more than a century, shoulder to shoulder through two world wars, the Cold War, Afghanistan and moments that have defined our shared security,” Charles said.
“Our common ideals were not only crucial for liberty and equality, they are also the foundation of our shared prosperity, the rule of law, the certainty of stable and accessible rules, an independent judiciary resolving disputes and delivering impartial justice, these speeches created the conditions for centuries of unmatched economic growth in our two countries,” he added.
The monarch also highlighted the two nations’ annual trade of $430 billon, arguing that it binds the two nations.
“The story of the United Kingdom and the United States is at its heart a story of reconciliation, renewal and remarkable partnership from the bitter divisions of 250 years ago, we forged a friendship that has grown into one of the most consequential alliances in human history. 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.”
The king ended his historic address reiterating a commitment the two leading nations have made over the last century to the safety and security of the free world.
“And so to the United States of America on your 250th birthday, let our two countries rededicate ourselves to each other in the selfless service of our peoples and of all the peoples of the world,” the king concluded.
The king’s speech marks the first time a monarch has addressed a joint session of Congress since 1991, when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, delivered an address. This marks King Charles III’s first official trip to the U.S. since rising to the throne in 2022.
The king and his wife Queen Camilla will travel to New York City Wednesday before visiting Virginia, wrapping up their state visit Thursday.
