WASHINGTON- King Charles III addressed a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, delivering a carefully crafted speech that united two of his deepest causes — climate action and defending Europe — to a room full of people deeply divided on both.
The king's speech to Congress, the second in history by a British monarch, was intended to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence. But the timing of his comments carried a subtle diplomatic urgency as he spoke of the need to support European alliances at a time of “great uncertainty.”
“I pray with all my heart that our alliance continues to defend our shared values, with our partners in Europe and the Commonwealth, and around the world, and that we ignore the calls for attention to look increasingly inward,” the king told the room.
US Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson applaud as Britain's King Charles III arrives to address a joint meeting of Congress in the House of Representatives at the US Capitol on Tuesday. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
(Henry Nicholls—POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
He emphasized that “America's words have weight and meaning” and that America's actions “matter even more,” comments that drew affirmations from the crowd.
In prepared remarks, the king called on Republican leaders to support Ukraine and maintain their commitment to NATO, which President Trump has repeatedly mocked 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, committed to mutual defense, protecting our citizens and interests, keeping Americans and Europeans safe from our common adversaries,” he said.
The king reminded Congress that NATO came to the aid of the United States after the attacks of September 11, 2001, and said the same “unwavering resolve” should be extended to Ukraine in order to “ensure a truly just and lasting peace.”
King Charles III salutes after his speech at a joint meeting of Congress as US Vice President JD Vance, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), and Queen Camilla look on at the US Capitol on April 28, 2026 in Washington, DC. On his first visit to the United States as British monarch, King Charles III addressed Congress as part of a multi-day trip to the nation's capital, New York City, and Virginia to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States of America.
(McNamee Wins/Getty Images)
Vice President JD Vance, seated behind the king, stood and applauded in response to the call to support Ukraine.
It remains to be seen how those comments will play out in Washington. Trump appeared to disagree with Prince Harry, the king's son, saying the United States should offer to do more to help Ukraine and telling a reporter that the prince “does not speak for the United Kingdom.”
The king did not directly address tensions between Trump and Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the US war with Iran. Trump has clashed with the British government over its refusal to commit its defense forces to the conflict and has mocked the Royal Navy's battleships as “toys.”
While Trump's criticisms were not addressed directly, the king did speak of 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, argued for the need to do more for the environment in the future.
“As we look to 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 to “our prosperity and our national security.”
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump host King Charles III and Queen Camilla for afternoon tea at the White House on the first day of their state visit to the United States of America on Monday.
(Suzanne Plunkett—Pool/Getty Images)
Trump did not attend the speech for security reasons, but hosted the king and Queen Camilla at the White House later that day. During a welcoming ceremony on the South Lawn, Trump emphasized his appreciation for the two nations' “treasured bond” and shared histories.
“Americans have had no closer friends than the British,” Trump told attendees. “We share the same root. We speak the same language. We uphold the same values. And together, our warriors have defended the same extraordinary civilization under twin flags of red, white and blue.”
The king gave a nod to that sentiment when he addressed Congress, calling the United States a “citadel of democracy created to represent the voice of all the American people in advancing sacred rights and freedoms.”
The king's visit to the Capitol came amid heightened security concerns following a shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association. Dinner attended by Trump, several members of his Cabinet and members of Congress. The alleged gunman, a tutor from California, was targeting Trump administration officials, prioritized from highest to lowest rank, authorities said.
“Let me say with unwavering resolve: such acts of violence will never succeed,” the king said. “Whatever our differences, whatever disagreements we may have, we remain united in our commitment to defend democracy, protect all our people from harm, and salute the courage of those who daily risk their lives in the service of our countries.”
During the king's visit, there was extensive security at the Capitol complex. Law enforcement officers were seen on the roof of the Capitol building and patrolling surrounding areas prior to their arrival.
Queen Camilla, King Charles III, US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump pose on the White House balcony during a state arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House on April 28, 2026 in Washington, DC. President Trump and King Charles III will participate in a series of activities, including a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office, and the king will later address a joint meeting of the US Congress.
(Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Earlier in the day, the king joined Trump in the Oval Office for a closed-door bilateral meeting.
The president seemed 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 that his mother had a “crush” on the king when he was younger.
“I wonder what he's thinking right now,” he said.
Trump also posted on Truth Social that he planned to raise the king and queen about a media report that suggested his family roots could be linked to the royal family, a prospect he appeared to find amusing.
“I always wanted to live in Buckingham Palace!!!” the president said in the post.
The only precedent for a speech by a British monarch was 35 years ago, when Queen Elizabeth II addressed a joint session of Congress in 1991. The timing of her speech came after the end of the Gulf War.
But the shadow of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal looms over the king's visit.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Fremont), one of the lawmakers who pushed hardest for the release of Epstein's files, last month requested that King meet privately with some of the women who were sexually abused by Esptein.
In the request, Khanna noted that the Epstein scandal spread to Britain, where the king's brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was linked to the alleged misconduct.
In February, 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 member of the British royal was criminally detained.
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 lawyers had advised the king not to meet with survivors so as not to jeopardize those investigations. The California Democrat also held a public roundtable Tuesday with numerous survivors, in a packed room near the Capitol.
“You would hope that this would be the moment for the king to give a message to the world that he stands with the survivors,” said Sky Roberts, whose late sister Virginia Roberts Giuffre had accused the king's brother of sexually abusing her several times when she was a teenager.
The king did not mention the Epstein scandal in his comments, but he did mention that both countries need to “support the victims of some of the evils that so tragically exist in both of our societies today.”
Times Washington staff writer Ben Wieder contributed to this report.
