Washington: King Charles III will embrace some of Washington’s most formal ceremonial traditions on Tuesday, as he seeks to emphasise a bond between the United Kingdom and the United States that he says is strong enough to withstand current political turbulence.
Charles will become the first British monarch to address the U.S. Congress since his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, did so in 1991. Her speech underscored the shared history of the two nations and the importance of democratic values — themes Charles is expected to reinforce in his remarks.
Addresses to Congress are reserved for a select group of global figures, including Pope Francis, Václav Havel, and Winston Churchill. The speech is expected to be the most extensive public address Charles delivers during his four-day visit to the United States, which is intended to mark the country’s upcoming 250th anniversary of independence from Britain.
Earlier this year, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., became the first sitting U.S. House leader to address the U.K. Parliament. Johnson attended a garden party with the king in Washington on Monday and said he told Charles he would be “well received” in Congress.
The king and Queen will begin the day by meeting US President
The king, accompanied by Queen Camilla, will begin his day with a meeting at the White House with President Donald Trump. The Oval Office meeting carries the potential for the freewheeling and sometimes controversial exchanges that have become familiar during Trump’s second term.
However, the meeting will be closed to the public and, given the British monarch’s strictly apolitical role and Trump’s stated fondness for the royal family, officials believe the likelihood of an awkward encounter may be limited. Trump is scheduled to host Charles later Tuesday evening for a state banquet at the White House.
The visit comes at a challenging moment for U.S.–U.K. relations. Trump’s relationship with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has grown increasingly strained in recent months, particularly as the Republican president has sought international backing for the war in Iran. Trump has criticised Starmer for resisting his efforts, remarking that “this is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with.”
Trump has also imposed tariffs on the United Kingdom and warned of further levies, despite a Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that complicated such unilateral actions. As recently as last week, Trump threatened to impose a “big tariff” on the U.K. unless it scrapped a digital services tax affecting U.S. technology companies.
More broadly, Trump has challenged elements of the traditional transatlantic alliance, including by floating efforts to annex Greenland and threatening to withdraw from NATO. He has also repeatedly imposed tariffs on and publicly criticised Canada, a fellow member of the British Commonwealth.
“Hopefully, the king’s visit is going to go a long way toward repairing the damage that this administration has done to one of our most important allies in the world,” Jeffries said.
Charles and Camilla arrived in Washington on Monday and held tea with the president and first lady Melania Trump. The royal couple will continue their U.S. tour later this week with stops in New York City and Virginia.