King Charles has delivered a landmark address to the United States Congress to urge the preservation of the “special relationship” between the United Kingdom and America, warning that global instability demands renewed unity between the two allies.
Speaking to a joint meeting of lawmakers, the King framed the UK-US alliance as “more important today than it has ever been”, explicitly echoing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in a rare moment where he quoted a sitting British premier on the congressional stage.
Referencing Sir Keir’s words directly, the King said the partnership between the two nations is “indispensable” and “must not disregard everything that has sustained us for the last eighty years”, instead calling for both countries to “build on it”.
The speech was delivered during a symbolic visit marking 250 years since American independence.
While the tone and language bore the King’s emphasis on history, faith and shared values, GB News understands that the address was written with input from the UK Government to support its foreign policy and defence priorities.
King Charles added: “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.”
He also acknowledged domestic challenges facing both nations, saying: “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 contrasted the present global climate with that faced by his mother, noting that the world is now “more volatile and more dangerous than the world to which my late Mother spoke, in this Chamber, in 1991”.
King Charles 'praying our alliance continues' as monarch addresses UK-US special relationship in Congress
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He traced the roots of the relationship back more than four centuries, describing it as “a partnership born out of dispute, but no less strong for it”, and highlighted the democratic traditions, from Magna Carta to the American Constitution, that continue to bind the two nations.
The King also made a pointed reference to political violence in Washington, speaking of “the incident not far from this great building” which sought to “harm the leadership of your Nation and to foment wider fear and discord”.
The remarks could be interpreted as an allusion to both the January 6 United States Capitol attack and the attempted attack on political figures at the White House Correspondents' Dinner last weekend.
Charles added: “Such acts of violence will never succeed.”
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King Charles and Queen Camilla stood in front of US Vice President JD Vance
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In a more personal moment, the King reflected on the timing of his speech, telling lawmakers: “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 monarch also drew on his long-standing commitment to interfaith dialogue, saying he had “devoted a large part of my life to interfaith relationships and greater understanding”.
Charles added that faith remains “a firm anchor and daily inspiration”, while praising the “profound respect that develops as people of different faiths grow in their understanding of each other.”
The King also stressed the modern strategic importance of the alliance, pointing to defence cooperation, intelligence ties and joint military programmes, including the F-35 fighter jets and the Aukus submarine pact with Australia.
King Charles received multiple standing ovations during the speech
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In a nod to current geopolitical tensions, he stressed the need for continued joint resolve on Ukraine and reiterated Nato’s central role in maintaining transatlantic security, stating: “The challenges we face are too great for any one Nation to bear alone.”
There were also moments of levity and personal reflection, including a joke about the British tradition of holding an MP “hostage” during the State Opening of Parliament.
He pointed to the scale of economic ties, with hundreds of billions in annual trade and trillions in mutual investment, as well as growing collaboration in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing and nuclear fusion.
Closing his speech, the King urged both nations to “rededicate ourselves to each other in the selfless service of our peoples”, reinforcing his central argument that the transatlantic partnership must not only endure, but evolve.