King Charles has extolled the importance of Britain's 'special relationship' with the US in a speech to Congress, making pointed references to Nato, the defence of Ukraine and the climate crisis. Speaking on the 250th anniversary of American independence, he told lawmakers: 'America's words carry weight and meaning, as they have since independence. The actions of this great nation matter even more.'
The address, the first by a British monarch to a joint session of Congress in 35 years, was the centrepiece of his four-day state visit to the United States. Charles praised the historic bond between the two nations, calling it 'truly unique', and urged 'unyielding resolve' in supporting Ukraine to 'secure a truly just and lasting peace'.
He also emphasised action on the climate crisis, warning that 'we ignore at our peril the fact that these natural systems provide the foundation for our prosperity and our national security'. On trade, he highlighted the $430bn in annual trade and $1.7tn in mutual investment between the two countries.
Charles backed the Aukus trilateral agreement with Australia, calling it 'the most ambitious submarine programme in history', and stressed that such endeavours 'build greater shared resilience for the future'. His remarks were couched in diplomatic terms, avoiding direct criticism of US policy differences.
