King Charles III will address a Joint Meeting of Congress during his state visit to the United States of America in April, a trip marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Speaker Mike Johnson said.
The United States House of Representatives and United States Senate will sit for a Joint Meeting of Congress on April 28th to hear a speech by King Charles III of the United Kingdom celebrating “the shared heritage” of the two countries. It will be only the second time a British monarch has addressed such a meeting, the first being Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 when she visited the United States at the invitation of George H. W. Bush.
Speaker Mike Johnson published a letter also signed by John Thune, Charles Schumer, and Hakeem Jeffries, inviting King Charles to the April 28th meeting. They said of the event:
The relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom has evolved into one of the most consequential partnerships in modern history… This year, the United States will mark the 250th anniversary of its independence.
As we celebrate this historic milestone and recommit ourselves to the principles upon which our nation was founded, we also recognize that the American experiment endures in no small part because of the British tradition from which it sprang.
We believe an Address to Congress will provide a unique opportunity to share your vision for the future of our special relationship and reaffirm our alliance at this pivotal time in history.
The address to Congress is the second official event announced for the state visit of King Charles III, first mooted last year by President Trump as he departed the United Kingdom from his own historic second state visit. Yesterday, in officially confirming the reciprocal visit was to take place, President Trump said he and First Lady Melania were looking forward to welcoming the King between April 27th and 30th of this year
President Trump said there will be a banquet dinner thrown in King Charles’ honour at the White House on the evening of April 28th, the same day as the Congress address.
The advanced planning for the visit, and the President’s persistently warm regards for the British nation and their King underlines Trump’s isolation of the country’s Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, as an individual problem to be dealt with, rather than one spoiling the whole country. As reported, President Trump said of the King last week: “He is a friend of mine, he is a great gentleman. As you know, he honoured me and our country. We had an amazing time.”
By contrast, the President has said that while he personally likes the British Prime Minister as a man, as a leader he finds him weak and indecisive, and not even worth trying to persuade to change his ways as he is so wedded to his dogmatic views on decarbonisation at all costs.
Queen Elizabeth II made a well-received speech to Congress in 1991, when she praised the common culture of Britain and the United States. The late Queen said:
Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, distinguished members of Congress, I know what a rare privilege it is to address a joint meeting of your two houses. Thank you for inviting me.
The concept so simply described by Abraham Lincoln as government by the people, of the people, for the people, is fundamental to our two nations. Your Congress and our Parliament are the twin pillars of our civilizations, and the chief among the many treasures that we have inherited from our predecessors. We, like you, are staunch believers in the freedom of the individual and the rule of a fair and just law… May God Bless America.
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