King Charles III addressed a joint meeting of Congress on Tuesday, only the second British monarch in history to do so.
His short but wide-ranging speech broadly touched on a slew of developments between the United Kingdom and the United States, conveying cautious optimism and cultural affection at a time when the relationship seems deeply imperiled.
Between quips about taking congressmen hostage to secure his safe return and winking references to his five-times-great-grandfather who lost the American colonies, King Charles offered direct guidance on how the U.S. and U.K. should conceive of themselves in times of such geopolitical uncertainty.
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1. U.S. sets tone for the world
The British sovereign affirmed the U.S. as a world-shaping power among nations in both its words and actions.
“Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, America’s words carry weight and meaning, as they have since independence,” he told Congress. “The actions of this great nation matter even more.”
He continued: “President Lincoln understood this so well, with his reflection in the magisterial Gettysburg Address that the world may little note what we say, but will never forget what we do.”
Charles’s sentiments carry significant importance at a time when the White House is feuding not only with his home nation but also with other dominions of which he is sovereign.
President Donald Trump has picked diplomatic fights with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and a slew of other Western leaders over perceived failures to cooperate with his missions abroad.
READ IN FULL: KING CHARLES III’S ADDRESS TO CONGRESS
2. The ‘special relationship’ must remain
Amid those feuds, Charles heaped his speech with words of reconciliation and fraternity, recognizing the frayed U.S.-U.K. relationship as a “partnership born out of dispute, but no less strong for it.”
“The story of the United Kingdom and the United States is, at its heart, a story of reconciliation, renewal, and remarkable partnership,” the king said. “From the bitter divisions of 250 years ago, we forged a friendship that has grown into one of the most consequential alliances in human history.”
Trump earlier in the day had promised to watch the king’s address remotely. If it had been Starmer delivering such words of reconciliation, the president might have been tempted to skewer the “weak” prime minister on social media.
But Charles, keenly aware of the rare respect shown by Trump to the Windsor family, took the opportunity to charm the U.S. government with gushing affection and appeals to mutual respect.
“Our two countries have always found ways to come together,” he said. “When we have found that way to agree, what great change is brought about — not just for the benefit of our peoples but of all peoples.”
3. A shared responsibility for a shared environment
Of course, Charles could not give such a historic speech without touching upon his most favorite of pet projects: environmental conservation.
“As we look toward the next 250 years, we must also reflect on our shared responsibility to safeguard nature, our most precious and irreplaceable asset,” the king said. “Millennia before our nations existed, before any border drawn, the mountains of Scotland and Appalachia were one; a single, continuous range, forged in the ancient collision of continents.”
The environment is perhaps Charles’ chief concern as head of state. He has sponsored countless charities dedicated to green energy, sustainable living, and ecological repair.
“We ignore at our peril the fact that these natural systems — in other words, nature’s own economy — provide the foundation for our prosperity and our national security,” he warned the Congress members.
4. The value of religious pluralism
The king offered full-throated support for another social value that he has championed for decades: religious pluralism.
“For many here — and for myself — the Christian faith is a firm anchor and daily inspiration that guides us not only personally but together as members of our community,” Charles told Congress. “Having devoted a large part of my life to interfaith relationships and greater understanding, it is that faith in the triumph of light over darkness which I have found confirmed countless times.”
The king said the U.S. and U.K. are defined by their “generosity of spirit” in the practice of religion, as well as a “duty to foster compassion, to promote peace, to deepen mutual understanding and to value all people, of all faiths, and of none.”
His mother, Queen Elizabeth II, was an outspoken Christian who held the faith to be a cornerstone not only of the national system she oversaw but also of her personal soul. Charles, by contrast, has had a somewhat more complicated relationship with organized Christianity, despite being the supreme governor of the Church of England.
Before becoming king, he floated the idea of changing the regal title of “Defender of the Faith” to “Defender of Faith” as a token of religious diversity among his subjects — a proposal that was never acted upon.
Noting that his speech falls within the Easter season of the Christian liturgical calendar, he extended a prayer that the two governments can “stem the beating of plowshares into swords” in these “turbulent times.”
5. Peace through strength
His speech was not a purely pacifist plea, however, acknowledging that “renewal today starts with security.”
“The United Kingdom recognizes that the threats we face demand a transformation in British defense,” King Charles told Congress. “That is why our country, in order to be fit for the future, has committed to the biggest sustained increase in defense spending since the Cold War.”
The sovereign noted the events of Sept. 11, 2001 — the first instance of NATO’s Article 5 being invoked — and reflected on how member states came to the aid of the U.S. military following the terrorist attacks.
“Today, Mr. Speaker, that same, unyielding resolve is needed for the defense of Ukraine and her most courageous people — in order to secure a truly just and lasting peace,” Charles said.
The sovereign applauded the U.S military and its allies for guarding against adversaries “from the depths of the Atlantic to the disastrously melting ice caps of the Arctic.”
“Our defense, intelligence, and security ties are hardwired together through relationships measured not in years but in decades,” he said. “We do not embark on these remarkable endeavors together out of sentiment. We do so because they build greater shared resilience for the future, so making our citizens safer for generations to come.”
Trump has repeatedly called into question the U.S.’s future in the NATO alliance. While he lacks the unilateral power to remove the country from membership, he has floated the idea of altering its participation or even withdrawing U.S. troops from European bases.
