His Majesty King Charles III Historic Speech to Congress
A king’s words, a continent’s heart — history holds its breath on Capitol Hill – There are days that arrive with the quiet certainty of history — moments that those fortunate enough to witness them recognise instantly as belonging not just to the present, but to the ages. Tuesday the 29th of April 2026 was unquestionably one of them. As King Charles III stepped into the chamber of the United States Congress and took his place at that most storied of podiums, he became only the second British monarch in all of history to address a joint session of the American legislature — following in the footsteps of his beloved late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who had graced that same chamber in 1991. The lineage was profound, the symbolism overwhelming, and as the King stood before the assembled representatives of the American people, a hush of collective and reverent wonder settled across the room like a benediction — the silence of people who knew, that they were living through something truly historic, something they would tell their grandchildren about.
The chamber itself was a sight to stir the soul. Every seat filled, every face turned forward, the great hall of American democracy dressed in the quiet electricity of an occasion that everyone present knew to be extraordinary. Republicans and Democrats sat side by side, their differences dissolved for this one shining hour by something far larger than politics — the shared pride of witnessing history being made in real time. When the King entered and the chamber rose as one to receive him, the applause that filled that magnificent room was not the polite, performative kind but the deep, spontaneous, full-throated kind that wells up from genuine feeling and cannot be manufactured or rehearsed.
And then he spoke — and what words they were. With characteristic wit and wisdom, the King observed that the very founding principle of Congress itself — no taxation without representation — was at once a fundamental disagreement between Britain and America, and at the same time a shared democratic value that America had inherited from Britain, before adding with a smile that theirs was “a partnership born of dispute, but no less strong for it.” The chamber erupted in laughter and applause, and in that single brilliant phrase, the King had captured with perfect elegance the entire magnificent paradox of the Special Relationship — two nations that argued their way into existence and have been inseparable ever since.
The speech ranged across the full sweep of shared history with the confidence and depth of a man who has spent a lifetime studying and honouring it. The King spoke of how the American settlers had carried forward the great inheritance of the British Enlightenment, as well as ideals rooted even deeper in English Common Law and Magna Carta — a reminder that the roots of American democracy reach far across the Atlantic and deep into the English soil from which they first grew. He spoke of the darkest days of the twentieth century, of how the alliance between these two nations had helped hold the line of freedom when it needed holding most, and of how that same commitment to shared values and collective security must remain as vital and unwavering today as it has ever been. He called upon both nations to remain steadfast in their support for Ukraine as Russia’s invasion surpassed four years, and underscored the enduring importance of NATO as the cornerstone of transatlantic security and cooperation. Every word was measured, considered and deeply felt, delivered with the quiet authority of a man who understands history not as something to be studied from a distance but as something living and present and profoundly worth defending.
There were moments of pure delight too, for the King’s speech was as warm and witty as it was statesmanlike. Noting the construction work underway on the White House’s East Wing, he observed with a twinkle that the British had of course made their own rather more dramatic attempt at White House redevelopment in 1814 — and that whilst the President had suggested Europe might be speaking German without American intervention, he felt compelled to point out that without British intervention, America might well be speaking French. The chamber dissolved in delighted laughter, and in those moments of levity the King showed once again the rare gift of a man completely at ease with himself and with his audience — able to move in a single breath from the profound to the playful and back again.
When the final words were spoken and the King stepped back from the podium, the chamber rose once more in a sustained and thunderous standing ovation that said everything words could not. This was not applause for a performance. This was gratitude — deep, bipartisan, genuinely felt — for a speech that had honoured America, celebrated the alliance, and reminded every soul in that room of the extraordinary privilege of being part of this great and enduring story. House Speaker Mike Johnson, true to the warmth he had shown throughout the visit, could not have been more effusive in his praise, and the mood that swept through the Capitol as the King departed was one of pure, unalloyed joy.
And so, as this most historic of royal state visits reaches its magnificent crescendo, the full weight and wonder of what has unfolded in that great chamber on Capitol Hill deserves to be savoured and celebrated in all its extraordinary glory. Vice President JD Vance, presiding over the joint session with distinguished and gracious authority, lent the occasion the full ceremonial dignity of his great office, whilst Speaker of the House The Honorable Mike Johnson — whose personal warmth and enthusiastic embrace of this visit had been evident from its very first moments — stood as a proud and fitting symbol of the bipartisan spirit that filled every corner of that magnificent chamber. And there they all were — senators and representatives, Republicans and Democrats, the elected custodians of the world’s oldest and greatest democracy — gathered together as one, rising repeatedly to their feet, their applause ringing from the walls of a chamber that has witnessed more than two centuries of history in the making. In that room, on that Tuesday afternoon, something remarkable and deeply moving took place — a British King stood before the assembled Congress of the United States and spoke of friendship, of shared sacrifice, of common values and of an alliance that has shaped the modern world, and every person present knew with absolute certainty that they were living through a moment that would be written about, spoken of and remembered long after every one of them was gone. It was, in the fullest and most profound sense of the word, history — breathing, luminous, and utterly magnificent.
His Majesty Kings Speech
“The story of the United Kingdom and the United States is, at its heart, a story of reconciliation, renewal and remarkable partnership.”
“I would like, if I may, to take this opportunity to express my particular gratitude to you all for the great honour of addressing this joint meeting of Congress and, on behalf of the Queen and myself, to thank the American people for welcoming us to the United States to mark this semi quincentennial year of the Declaration of Independence.
“And for all of that time, our destinies as nations have been interlinked.
“As Oscar Wilde said, ‘We have really everything in common with America nowadays except, of course, language’.
“So, ladies and gentlemen, we meet in times of great uncertainty, in times of conflict from Europe to the Middle East which pose immense challenges for the international community and whose impact is felt in communities the length and breadth of our own countries.
“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.
“Let me say with unshakeable 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 our countries.
“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.
“It is extraordinary to think that I am the nineteenth in our line of sovereigns to study, with daily attention, the affairs of America.
“So, I come here today with the highest respect for the United States Congress, this citadel of democracy created to represent the voice of all American people to advance sacred rights and freedoms.
“Speaking in this renowned chamber of debate and deliberation, I cannot help but think of my late mother, Queen Elizabeth, who, in 1991, was also afforded this signal honour and similarly spoke under the watchful eye of the Statue of Freedom above us.
“Today, I am here on this great occasion in the life of our nations to express the highest regard and friendship of the British people to the people of the United States.
“As you may know, when I address my own Parliament at Westminster, we still follow an age-old tradition and take a member of Parliament ‘hostage’, holding him or her at Buckingham Palace until I am safely returned.
“These days, we look after our ‘guest’ rather well – to the point that they often do not want to leave.
“I don’t know, Mr Speaker, if there were any volunteers for that role here today?
“As I look back across the centuries, Mr Speaker, there emerge certain patterns, certain self-evident truths from which we can learn and draw mutual strength.
“With the spirit of 1776 in our minds, we can perhaps agree that we do not always agree – at least in the first instance.
“Indeed, the very principle on which your Congress was founded – no taxation without representation – was at once a fundamental disagreement between us, and at the same time a shared democratic value which you inherited from us.
“Ours is a partnership born out of dispute, but no less strong for it, so perhaps, in this example, we can discern that our nations are in fact instinctively like-minded – a product of the common democratic, legal and social traditions in which our governance is rooted to this day.
“Drawing on these values and traditions, time and again, our two countries have always found ways to come together.
“And by jove, Mr Speaker, when we have found that way to agree, what great change is brought about – not just for the benefit of our peoples, but of all peoples.
“This, I believe, is the special ingredient in our relationship.
“As President Trump himself observed during his state visit to Britain last autumn, ‘The bond of kinship and identity between America and the United Kingdom is priceless and eternal.
“It is irreplaceable and unbreakable.’
“Mr Speaker, this is by no means my first visit to Washington DC – the capital of this great republic.
“It is in fact my 20th visit to the United States, and my first as King and head of the Commonwealth.
“This is a city which symbolises a period in our shared history, or what Charles Dickens might have called ‘A Tale of Two Georges’: the first President, George Washington, and my five-times Great Grandfather, King George III.
“King George never set foot in America and, please rest assured, I am not here as part of some cunning rearguard action.
“The Founding Fathers were bold and imaginative rebels with a cause.
“250 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’.
“They carried with them, and carried forward, the great inheritance of the British Enlightenment – as well as the ideals which had an even deeper history in English common law and Magna Carta.
“These roots run deep, and they are still vital.
“Our Declaration of Rights of 1689 was not only the foundation of our constitutional monarchy, but also provided the source of so many of the principles reiterated, often verbatim, in the American Bill of Rights of 1791.
“And those roots go even further back in our history: the US Supreme Court Historical Society has calculated that Magna Carta is cited in at least 160 Supreme Court cases since 1789, not least as the foundation of the principle that executive power is subject to checks and balances.
“This is the reason why there stands a stone, by the River Thames at Runnymede where Magna Carta was signed in the year 1215.
“This stone records that an acre of that ancient and historic site was given to the United States of America by the people of the United Kingdom, to symbolise our shared resolve in support of liberty, and in memory of President John F Kennedy.
“Distinguished members of the 119th Congress, it is here in these very halls that this spirit of liberty and the promise of America’s founders is present in every session and every vote cast.
“Not by the will of one, but by the deliberation of many, representing the living mosaic of the United States.
“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.
“And, Mr Speaker, for many here – and for myself – the Christian faith is a firm anchor and daily inspiration that guides us not only personally, but together as members of our community.
“Having devoted a large part of my life to interfaith relationships and greater understanding, it is that faith in the triumph of light over darkness which I have found confirmed countless times.
“Through it I am inspired by the profound respect that develops as people of different faiths grow in their understanding of each other.
“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.
“I am mindful that we are still in the season of Easter, the season that most strengthens my hope.
“It is why I believe, with all my heart, that the essence of our two nations is a generosity of spirit and a duty to foster compassion, to promote peace, to deepen mutual understanding and to value all people, of all faiths, and of none.
“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.
“That partnership, I believe Mr Speaker, is more important today than it has ever been.
“The first reigning British sovereign to set foot in America was my grandfather, King George VI.
“He visited in 1939 with my beloved grandmother, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.
“The forces of fascism in Europe were on the march, and some time before the United States had joined us in the defence of freedom.
“Our shared values prevailed.
“Today, we find ourselves in a new era, but those values remain.
“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 eighty years. Instead, we must build on it’.
“Renewal today starts with security.
“The United Kingdom recognises that the threats we face demand a transformation in British defence.
“That is why our country, in order to be fit for the future, has committed to the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War – during part of which, over 50 years ago, 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.
“This year, of course, also marks the 25th anniversary of 9/11.
“This atrocity was a defining moment for America and your pain and shock were felt around the whole world.
“During my visit to New York, my wife and I will again pay our respects to the victims, the families, and the bravery shown in the face of terrible loss. 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 9/11, 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.
“Today, Mr Speaker, that same, 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.
“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.
“Our defence, intelligence and security ties are hardwired together through relationships measured not in years, but in decades.
“Today, thousands of US service personnel, defence officials and their families are stationed in the United Kingdom, as British personnel serve with equal pride across 30 American states.
“We are building F-35s together.
“And we have agreed the most ambitious submarine programme in history, Aukus.
“And we do so in partnership with Australia, a country of which I am also immensely proud to serve as sovereign.
“We do not embark on these remarkable endeavours together out of sentiment.
“We do so because they build greater shared resilience for the future, so making our citizens safer for generations to come.
“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 features created the conditions for centuries of unmatched economic growth in our two countries.
“This is why our governments are concluding new economic and technology agreements – to write the next chapter of our joint prosperity and ensure that British and American ingenuity continues to lead the world.
“Our nations are combining talent and resources in the technologies of tomorrow: our new partnerships in nuclear fusion and quantum computing, and in AI and drug discovery, holding the promise of saving countless lives.
“More broadly, we celebrate the 430 billion dollars in annual trade that continues to grow, the 1.7 trillion dollars in
that fuels that innovation, and the millions of jobs on both sides of the Atlantic supported across both economies.
“These are strong foundations on which to continue to build, for generations yet unborn.
“Our ties in education, research, and cultural exchange empower citizens and future leaders of both countries.
“The Marshall Scholarship, named after the great General George Marshall, and the Association of which I am so proud to be patron, are emblematic of the connection between our two countries.
“Since its founding, more than 2,300 scholarships have been awarded, opening doors for Americans from all walks of life to study at the United Kingdom’s leading universities.
“So 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.
“Millennia before our nations existed, before any border drawn, the mountains of Scotland and Appalachia were one, a single, continuous range, forged in the ancient collision of continents.
“The natural wonders of the United States of America are indeed a unique asset, and generations of Americans have risen to this calling: indigenous, political and civic leaders, people in rural communities and cities alike, have all helped to protect and nurture what President Theodore Roosevelt called ‘the glorious heritage’ of this land’s extraordinary natural splendour, on which so much of its prosperity has always depended.
“Yet even as we celebrate the beauty that surrounds us, our generation must decide how to address the collapse of critical natural systems which threatens far more than the harmony and essential diversity of nature.
“We ignore at our peril the fact that these natural systems, in other words, nature’s own economy, provide the foundation for our prosperity and our national security.
“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, and that we ignore the clarion calls to become ever more inward-looking.
“Mr Speaker, Mr Vice-President, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, America’s words carry weight and meaning, as they have since Independence.
“The actions of this great nation matter even more.
“President Lincoln understood this so well, with his reflection in the magisterial Gettysburg Address that the world may little note what we say, but will never forget what we do.
“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.
“God bless the United States and the United Kingdom.”
- His Majesty The King Charles III Speech to Congress
