King Charles urges US, UK to reopen in speech to Congress

King Charles III called on the United States and Britain to restore their long-standing transatlantic alliance in a speech Tuesday at a White House state dinner hosted by the president. Donald Trump Tensions between Iran and Ukraine.Speaking alongside Trump for the first time during his four-day state visit, Charles made no direct reference to the US leader’s feud with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.But as in a rare speech to Parliament earlier in the day, the British monarch highlighted London and Washington’s partnership “standing side by side in the best of times and the worst of times.”“Tonight we are here to reaffirm an indispensable alliance that has long been the cornerstone of the prosperity and security of British and American citizens,” Charles said.The sumptuous dinner menu includes Garden Vegetable Velouté, Spring Herb Ravioli and Dover Sole, followed by White House Honey Vanilla Bean Cream. Invited guests include Apple boss Tim Cook, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, and two-time Masters champion golfer Rory McIlroy, who was born in Northern Ireland.Charles delivered a well-received speech in Congress earlier Tuesday urging the United States and its Western allies to stand firm.As the royals arrived for dinner, Trump also praised the “great speech” and said he was “very jealous” – even as Charles touched on sensitive topics ranging from climate change and the need to limit presidential powers to the importance of NATO and Ukraine’s defense.Addressing lawmakers during celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of US independence, Charles stressed the need for “unwavering determination” to ensure a “just and lasting peace” in Ukraine, which has been battling a full-scale Russian invasion since 2022.Trump earlier praised Britain as America’s closest ally as he welcomed Charles and Queen Camilla to the White House for a four-day state visit.“There is no closer friend” Speaking after a ceremonious welcome on the South Lawn with a 21-gun salute, Trump struck a much softer tone than his recent criticism of Starmer.“In the centuries since we won our independence, Americans have had no closer friend than Great Britain,” Trump said, praising the two countries’ “special relationship” and military partnership.A military band played the British and American national anthems and artillery fired, before Charles shook hands with senior Trump administration officials and reviewed troops on the lawn with the president. Four U.S. jets then roared over the White House as Trump, Charles, Camilla and first lady Melania looked on.The visit comes at a delicate time, with Trump criticizing Britain’s stance on Iran and other policies.Despite the tense atmosphere, the US president struck a cheerful tone, joking before the Oval Office meeting that his Scottish-born mother was “obsessed with Charles”.“He’s a great guy. They’re incredible people and it’s a real honor,” Trump told reporters after the closed-door meeting.“checks and balances”The King’s address to Parliament was the centerpiece of the visit, the first by a British monarch since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991.Charles pointed to a shared democratic tradition, describing Parliament as a “bastion of democracy” and emphasizing the two countries’ shared legal roots.He pointed out that the U.S. Supreme Court has invoked the Magna Carta in more than 160 cases, emphasizing the principle of checks and balances on executive power, winning warm applause from the opposition Democratic Party.The king also highlighted deep defense and economic ties and said cooperation on security, technology and trade remained at the core of the alliance.“Our defence, intelligence and security links are closely linked,” he said.Security during the visit has been tight following an alleged assassination attempt on Trump at a media evening in Washington over the weekend.“This act of violence will never succeed,” Charles said.The royal couple will attend a state dinner later on Tuesday, capping off a visit that has been a mix of ceremony and sensitive diplomacy.