King Charles calls for a rededication to unity as US-British ties face rare strain

WASHINGTON - King Charles III addressed a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, delivering a carefully worded speech that threaded two of his most deeply held causes - climate action and the defense of Europe - to a roomful of people deeply divided on both.

The king's address to Congress, only the second in history by a British monarch, was intended to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence. But the timing of his remarks carried a subtle, diplomatic urgency as he talked about the need to support European alliances at a time of "great uncertainty."

"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," the king told the room.

He emphasized that "America's words carry weight and meaning" and that the United States' actions "matter even more," remarks that drew affirmations from the crowd.

In prepared remarks, the king called on Republican leaders to support Ukraine and to maintain its commitment to NATO, which President Donald Trump has repeatedly derided and threatened to leave.

"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 others defense, protecting our citizens and interests, keeping North Americans and Europeans safe from our common adversaries," he said.

The king reminded Congress that NATO came to the assistance of the United States in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and said the same "unyielding resolve" should be extended to Ukraine to be able to "secure a truly just and lasting peace."

Vice President JD Vance, who was seated behind the king, stood up and applauded in response to the call to support Ukraine.

How those comments will play out in Washington remains to be seen. Trump seemed to take issue with Prince Harry, the king's son, saying that the United States should offer do more to help Ukraine, telling a reporter that the prince "is not speaking for the U.K."

The king did not directly address the tensions between Trump and Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the United States' war with Iran. Trump has clashed with the British government over its refusal to commit its defense forces to the conflict and had mocked the Royal Navy's battleships as "toys."

While Trump's criticism were not addressed directly, the king did speak about his pride in the British defense forces, especially the Royal Navy.

"I served with immense pride in the Royal Navy, following in the Naval footsteps of my Father, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh; my Grandfather, King George VI; my Great-Uncle, Lord Mountbatten; and my Great-Grandfather, King George V.," he said.

The king also noted that conflicts in Europe and the Middle East "pose immense challenges for the international community," and stressed the need to work together.

"The challenges we face are too great for any one nation to bear alone," he said.

The king, who has long advocated for the environment and conservation, made a case to do more for the environment in the future.

"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, adding that climate action is key for "our prosperity and our national security."

Trump did not attend the speech due to security concerns, but he hosted the king and Queen Camilla at the White House earlier in the day. During a welcoming ceremony at the South Lawn, Trump emphasized his appreciation for the two nation's "cherished bond" and shared histories.

"Americans have had no closer friends than the British," Trump told those in attendance. "We share the same root. We speak the same language. We hold the same values. And together, our warriors have defended the same extraordinary civilization under twin banners of red, white and blue."

The king made a nod to that sentiment when addressing Congress, calling the United States a "citadel of democracy created to represent the voice of all American people to advance sacred rights and freedoms."

The king's visit on Capitol Hill came amid heightened security concerns following a shooting at the White House Correspondents' Assn. dinner attended by Trump, several members of his Cabinet and members of Congress. The alleged gunman, a California tutor, was targeting Trump administration officials, prioritized fro highest-ranking to lowest, authorities said.

"Let me say with unshakable resolve: such acts of violence will never succeed," the king said. "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 our countries."

During the king's visit, there was ample security at the Capitol complex. Law enforcement officers were seen on the rooftop of the Capitol building and patrolling the surrounding areas ahead of his arrival.

Earlier in the day, the king joined Trump in the Oval Office for a closed-door bilateral meeting.

The president appeared to be enjoying the visit. He told the crowd at the White House that his late mother "loved" the royal family and watched their events on television. The president even joked his mother had a "crush" on the king when he was younger.

"I wonder what's she's thinking right now," he said.

Trump also posted on Truth Social that he planned to raise with the king and queen a media report suggesting his family roots may be tied to the royal family, a prospect he appeared to find amusing.

"I've always wanted to live in Buckingham Palace!!!" the president said in the post.

The only precedent for an address by a British monarch was 35 years ago, when Queen Elizabeth II addressed a joint session of Congress in 1991. The timing of her address came after the end of the Gulf War.

But hanging over the king's visit is the shadow of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., one of the most vocal lawmakers pushing for the release of the Epstein files, last month requested that the king privately meet with some of the women who were sexually abused by Esptein.

In the request, Khanna noted that the Epstein scandal extended to Britain, where the king's brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was tied to the alleged misconduct.

In February, the former Prince Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office related to his links to Epstein, marking the first time in nearly four centuries that a senior British royal was criminally apprehended.

The former British ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson, is also under criminal investigation for allegedly sharing secret government information with Epstein, who died in federal custody in 2018.

Khanna told reporters on Tuesday that the king had been advised by lawyers not to meet with the survivors so as not to jeopardize those investigations. The California Democrat still held a public roundtable discussion on Tuesday with numerous survivors, in a crammed room near the Capitol.

"You would expect this to be a moment for the king to give a message to the world that he stands with survivors," said Sky Roberts, whose deceased sister Virginia Roberts Giuffre had accused the king's brother of sexually abusing her multiple times when she was a teenager.

The king did not mention the Epstein scandal in his remarks, but did mention that both countries need to "support victims of some of the ills that, so tragically, exist in both our societies today."

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-Times staff writer Ben Wieder, in Washington, contributed to this report.

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This story was originally published April 28, 2026 at 1:32 PM.