King Charles urges Western unity in speech to US Congress / Photo: © AFP
King Charles urges Western unity in speech to US Congress
Britain's King Charles III urged the United States on Tuesday to stand firm with its Western allies, as strains over Iran and Ukraine risk undermining transatlantic ties facing their most serious test in years.
"The challenges we face are too great for any one nation to bear alone," he said in a speech at the US Congress, calling for partners to defend shared values.
"Whatever our differences, whatever disagreements we may have, we stand united in our commitment to uphold democracy," the monarch told lawmakers.
Addressing Congress during celebrations marking 250 years since American independence from Britain, Charles stressed the historic ties between the two nations, saying their partnership was "born out of dispute, but no less strong for it."
"I pray with all my heart that our alliance will continue to defend our shared values... and that we ignore the clarion calls to become ever more inward-looking," he added.
He said "unyielding resolve is needed for the defense of Ukraine and her most courageous people -- in order to secure a truly just and lasting peace."
President Donald Trump -- hosting the royal couple for four days -- earlier hailed Britain as America's closest ally as he welcomed Charles and Queen Camilla to the White House on a state visit overshadowed by tensions over the Iran conflict.
Speaking after a pomp-filled welcome on the South Lawn featuring a 21-gun salute, Trump's tone was a world away from his recent jibes at British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for failing to join the US war against Tehran.
- 'No closer friends' -
"In the centuries since we won our independence, Americans have had no closer friends than the British," Trump said during a ceremonial reception.
Using a phrase popularized by Winston Churchill, he hailed the "special relationship" and praised Britain's military, saying the two countries had "fought better together" than any others.
Cannons rang out while a military band played the British and US national anthems, before Charles shook hands with top Trump administration officials and inspected troops on the lawn with the president.
A band of soldiers dressed in uniforms from the US Revolutionary War then marched past, playing fife and drums.
Afterward, four US jets roared over the White House in a noisy flypast as Trump, Charles, Camilla and First Lady Melania Trump watched.
The visit comes at a delicate moment in transatlantic relations, with Trump criticizing Starmer over his stance on Iran and other policies.
The US president struck a warm tone, joking about his Scottish-born mother having "a crush on Charles" and praising the royal family after talks in the Oval Office, behind closed doors -- an unusual step for the garrulous US president, reflecting the sensitivity of the visit.
"It was a really good meeting. He's a fantastic person. They're incredible people and it's a real honor," Trump told reporters afterward.
- 'Checks and balances' -
The king's address to Congress -- the first by a British monarch since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 -- is the centrepiece of the state visit.
In his speech, Charles highlighted shared democratic traditions dating back centuries, describing Congress as a "citadel of democracy" and stressing the common roots of British and American law.
Charles said Britain's foundational legal document, Magna Carta, had been cited in an estimated 160-plus US Supreme Court cases since 1789 -- noting, to applause from the opposition Democrats, the principle that "executive power is subject to checks and balances."
He also pointed to deep defense and economic links, from joint military programs to cooperation in emerging technologies, while warning that security challenges are growing more acute.
"Our defense, intelligence and security ties are hardwired together," he said.
The royal couple will attend a state dinner later on Tuesday, capping a visit that has mixed ceremony with sensitive diplomacy.
Security has been tight for the trip, which comes just days after an alleged assassination attempt against Trump at a Washington press gala. Countersniper teams could be seen on the roof of the White House.
Melania Trump told reporters she was "very well" when asked how she was doing after the shooting.
"Let me say with unshakeable resolve: such acts of violence will never succeed," King Charles told lawmakers.
(Y.Leyard--DTZ)
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