King Charles has extolled the importance of Britain’s “special relationship” with the US in a speech to Congress that made pointed reference to the importance of NATO, the defence of Ukraine and the climate crisis, The Guardian reports.
In a speech that will be read as a veiled plea to Donald Trump to return to the US’s traditional European alliances and restore his country’s role as a defender of liberal values, Charles said: “America’s words carry weight and meaning, as they have since independence. The actions of this great nation matter even more.”
Charles’s appearance before the joint session of Congress – the first such royal address in 35 years – was billed as the centrepiece of his four-day state visit to the United States, where he and Queen Camilla are taking part in celebrations to mark the 250th anniversary of independence.
Charles praised the historic bond between the two nations, saying: “The alliance that our two nations have built over the centuries – and for which we are profoundly grateful to the American people – is truly unique.”
But in comments that appeared to draw an approving response from Democratic lawmakers, he noted the roots of “the principle that executive power is subject to checks and balances” in one of the UK’s foundational legal documents, Magna Carta.
And he urged “unyielding resolve” in the cause of “Ukraine and her most courageous people” in order to “secure a truly just and lasting peace”.
Speaking from the dais of the House of Representatives before an audience that included lawmakers from both parties and top military officials, he also emphasised the importance of action on the climate crisis.
He made reference to “the natural wonders” of the United States, speaking of what Teddy Roosevelt called “the glorious heritage of this land’s extraordinary natural splendour, on which so much of its prosperity has always depended”.
“Yet even as we celebrate the beauty that surrounds us, our generation must decide how to address the collapse of critical natural systems which threatens far more than the harmony and essential diversity of nature.
“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 also underlined the importance of trade between the two nations at a time when Trump has threatened to impose further tariffs on Britain. “More broadly, we celebrate the $430bn in annual trade that continues to grow, the $1.7tn in mutual investment that fuels that innovation, and the millions of jobs on both sides of the Atlantic supported across both economies.”
He said: “From the depths of the Atlantic to the disastrously melting ice-caps of the Arctic, the commitment and expertise of the United States armed forces and its allies lie at the heart of NATO, pledged to each other’s defence, protecting our citizens and interests, keeping North Americans and Europeans safe from our common adversaries.”
Charles also backed Aukus, the trilateral agreement with Australia, which he called “the most ambitious submarine programme in history”.
“We do not embark on these remarkable endeavours 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,” he said.
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