King Charles III will embrace some of Washington’s most formal ceremonial trappings as he seeks to emphasize the enduring bond between the United Kingdom and the United States amid current political turbulence.
He will become the first British monarch to address the US Congress since his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, did so in 1991. Her speech then highlighted the shared history of both countries and the importance of their democratic values — themes Charles is expected to reinforce during what will likely be his most extensive public remarks on a four-day US visit timed to mark the country’s 250th anniversary of independence from Britain.
Such congressional addresses are reserved for the world’s most prominent leaders, including Pope Francis, Vaclav Havel and Winston Churchill. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who earlier this year became the first sitting leader of his chamber to address the UK Parliament, attended a garden party with the king in Washington on Monday and said he told Charles he would be “well received” in Congress.
Accompanied by Queen Camilla, Charles will begin his day with a White House meeting with President Donald Trump. The Oval Office encounter carries the potential for the freewheeling, sometimes controversial exchanges that have characterized Trump’s interactions with foreign leaders during his second term. Still, the expressly apolitical role of the British monarch and Trump’s fondness for the royal family may reduce chances of an awkward encounter. Trump will host a state banquet for the royal couple at the White House Tuesday evening.
The visit comes at a challenging moment for US-UK relations. Trump’s fluctuating relationship with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has grown particularly tense as the president has sought international backing for actions related to Iran; Trump derided Starmer by saying “this is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with.” Trump has also imposed tariffs on the UK and warned of more levies, despite a recent Supreme Court ruling that complicates unilateral moves. He threatened last week to impose a “big tariff” on the UK if it does not repeal a digital services tax on US tech firms.
More broadly, Trump’s policies have unsettled the traditional transatlantic alliance, with moves and rhetoric that have included proposals to annex Greenland and suggestions he might abandon NATO. He has repeatedly imposed tariffs on — and publicly taunted — Canada, a Commonwealth member.
Meanwhile, some members of Congress have urged Charles to meet with victims of Jeffrey Epstein while in the US. There is no indication he will do so, even as the scandal surrounding the convicted sex offender has entangled Charles’s brother, who was arrested in February on misconduct allegations he denies. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., urged the king over the weekend to at least address the issue during his congressional speech.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized Republican policies Monday for straining the US-UK relationship, saying he hoped the king’s visit would help “repair the damage that this administration has done to one of our most important allies in the world.”
Charles and Camilla arrived in Washington on Monday, held a tea with the president and first lady Melania Trump, and will continue their US trip later this week with stops in New York City and Virginia.
