King Charles has used a historic address to the US Congress to underscore the importance of Nato, the defence of Ukraine and action on the climate crisis, in remarks widely seen as a veiled plea to President Donald Trump to uphold traditional European alliances.
Speaking on the 250th anniversary of American independence, the King told lawmakers: 'America's words carry weight and meaning, as they have since independence. The actions of this great nation matter even more.' The speech was the first by a British monarch to Congress since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991.
Charles praised the 'special relationship' between the UK and US, noting $430bn in annual trade and $1.7tn in mutual investment. He urged 'unyielding resolve' in support of Ukraine, saying the goal must be 'a truly just and lasting peace'. He also highlighted the importance of Nato, describing it as 'pledged to each other’s defence'.
The King made pointed references to checks and balances, tracing the principle to Magna Carta, and warned of the need to address 'the collapse of critical natural systems', saying 'we ignore at our peril' the impact on prosperity and security. He also backed the Aukus submarine programme with Australia.
The address followed a White House arrival ceremony where Trump declared 'Americans have no closer friends than the British'. However, the King’s arrival was held privately to avoid a public confrontation, amid tensions over trade tariffs and Britain’s refusal to join US-led strikes on Iran.
