King Charles III is on a four-day state visit to the United States, becoming the first British monarch to address Congress since Elizabeth II in 1991, in a speech delivered on Tuesday (28 April).
In his address, the King reflected on a world marked by strain and uncertainty, from Europe to the Middle East. He stressed that protecting Ukraine and its “most courageous people” requires “unyielding resolve”, calling it essential to achieving a “truly just and lasting peace”.
He also underlined the importance of transatlantic security, describing it as part of a broader Atlantic alliance vision once articulated by Henry Kissinger and rooted in the leadership of John F. Kennedy, centred on cooperation between Europe and the United States.
In remarks interpreted as a subtle critique of Donald Trump’s presidency, the King emphasised the enduring importance of shared democratic values. “Our common ideals were not only crucial for liberty and equality, they are also the foundation of our shared prosperity,” he said, pointing to the rule of law, an independent judiciary, and stable legal systems as pillars of the transatlantic relationship.
At one point, he struck a lighter tone, recalling that the American rebellion against the Crown over “taxation without representation” stemmed from a shared democratic principle. He praised the “bold and imaginative rebels” who rejected what they saw as tyranny, noting that they carried forward ideas rooted in English common law and the Magna Carta. He added that the US Supreme Court has cited the Magna Carta more than 160 times as a foundation for checks and balances, prompting applause in the chamber.
Later, at a White House state dinner hosted by Trump, the King described the moment as an opportunity “to renew an indispensable alliance”. The US president, speaking at the same event, said Iran had been “militarily defeated” and added: “Charles agrees with me even more than I do – we’re never going to let that opponent have a nuclear weapon.”
Source: commonspace.eu with Ukrainska Pravda, BBC, and The Guardian
