Charles charms Congress: King's joke-laden speech wins admirers as he warns US-UK alliance 'more important than ever'
The King's warm address to Congress saw American lawmakers give him 12 standing ovations as he hailed the power of the Special Relationship
The King has hailed the power of the US-UK alliance as he became only the second British monarch to address a joint session of Congress.
Listen to this article
Amid a frosty row between US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, the King dazzled American lawmakers with his address.
After entering the House of Representatives chamber to rapturous applause, Charles took to the dais to deliver the historic address.
The House of Representatives is the only chamber large enough to hold a joint meeting of the 435 representatives and 100 senators.
Opening his speech, the King drew upon the "interlinked" destinies of the US and UK, quoting Oscar Wilde by quipping: "We have really everything in common with America nowadays except, of course, language!”
After saying the opportunity to address Congress was "a great honour", Charles harkened back through the shared history of the United States and United Kingdom to strengthen what he called an "irreplaceable and unbreakable" bond.
The King described the alliance that “our two nations have built over the centuries” as “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,” he said.
“That Partnership, I believe Mr Speaker, is more important today than it has ever been.”
He spoke of a “more volatile and more dangerous” world than when Queen Elizabeth II addressed Congress in 1991 in the wake of the Gulf War.
“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,” the King said.
Amid global conflicts, King Charles acknowledged his four-day state visit was coming “in times of great uncertainty”.
He also referred to Saturday’s shooting in Washington at an event attended by Donald Trump, Melania Trump and other senior US politicians.
“We meet, too, in the aftermath of the incident not far from this great building that sought to harm the leadership of your nation and to foment wider fear and discord,” the King said.
“Let me say with unshakeable resolve: such acts of violence will never succeed.”
Amid the row between Starmer and Trump, the King quoted the Prime Minister when he declared that: "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’.”
He referenced the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks this year, saying: “This atrocity was a defining moment for America, and your pain and shock were felt around the whole world.”
Charles added: “We stand with you now in solemn remembrance of a day that shall never be forgotten.”
Both the King and Queen will visit the memorial to those who died in the attacks later this week.
Despite royal speeches traditionally shying away from politics, Charles used the address to implore American lawmakers to continue to stand by Ukraine in the face of Russian invasion.
Standing in front of Vice President JD Vance, who has himself been critical of US support for Ukraine, the King declared that “unyielding resolve is needed for the defence of Ukraine and her most courageous people – it is needed in order to secure a truly just and lasting peace” and stressed the importance of Nato.
Donald Trump's administration has been excoriating in its attacks on Nato allies for not joining the Iran war, and has flirted with leaving the alliance altogether.
The King added: “From the depths of the Atlantic to the disastrously melting ice-caps of the Arctic, the commitment and expertise of the United States Armed Forces and its allies lie at the heart of Nato, pledged to each other’s defence, protecting our citizens and interests, keeping North Americans and Europeans safe from our common adversaries.”
This section of the speech was one of the few moments in which the applause only came from the Democratic side of the chamber.
Charles's apparent allusions to the Trump administration did not end there.
In perhaps the most pointed remarks, Charles drew another standing ovation in Congress when he referred to the British legal tradition, rooted in Magna Carta, that “executive power is subject to checks and balances”.
The applause began on the Democratic side of the chamber before spreading more widely across the room.
There has been repeated criticism from Democrats who accuse Donald Trump of overreaching in office, and after “no kings” rallies held across the US over the past year.
Critics, academics and political analysts have argued that Trump’s governing style has become increasingly authoritarian, pointing in part to the use of federal power in areas such as immigration enforcement.
Criticism has often focused on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) whose aggressive tactics, including large-scale arrests, family separations and heavily armed operations, have become a symbol for opponents of what they see as a more authoritarian approach to government.
During the speech, the White House posted an image of the King and Donald Trump with the caption 'two kings'.
Millions attended “No Kings” protests across the United States in June 2025, October 2025 and March 2026 in opposition to the policies and actions of Donald Trump’s second administration.
King acknowledges victims of sexual abuse amid Epstein scandal
The King also acknowledged victims of sexual abuse, in the wake of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
Charles and the Queen have faced calls to meet survivors of paedophile Epstein during their stay in the US, but are not doing so because of ongoing legal cases, including the arrest of the King’s brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
The King said: “In both of our countries, it is the very fact of our vibrant, diverse and free societies that gives us our collective strength, including to support victims of some of the ills that, so tragically, exist in both our societies today.”
The King referred to his Christian faith and lifelong focus on interfaith understanding, adding: “It is why it is my hope – my prayer – that, in these turbulent times, working together and with our international partners, we can stem the beating of ploughshares into swords.”
Despite the heavier subject nature of the King's address, he also found time to crack jokes.
Charles sparked laughter in the chamber when he asked for volunteers to adopt the role of the MP who is held ceremonially held “hostage” at Buckingham Palace while the King delivers his speech at the State Opening of Parliament.
He also told the lawmakers that he had not crossed the Atlantic to provide "some rearguard action" for the British efforts in the American Revolutionary War.
Concluding his speech with “God bless the United States and the United Kingdom”, members of Congress rose to give yet another standing ovation.
Buckingham Palace said the King was “greatly touched by the warmth and generosity” of the Congress’s response to his speech.
A Palace spokesperson said: “The King was deeply honoured to have been invited to be the first British King to give such an address and was greatly touched by the warmth and generosity of the response he received.”