King Charles III addressed a joint session of the U.S. Congress on Tuesday, marking only the second time a reigning British monarch has done so after his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, did in 1991.The address comes on the second day of a four-day tour being conducted by His Majesty at the Capitol building in Washington D.C.Earlier in the day, President Trump welcomed the King at the White House and, in a speech, invoked the unique Anglo-American relationship, as well as America's historical British roots. The president also, unsurprisingly, went off script a couple of times, even mentioning how his mother had had a crush on Charles when he was younger.After entering the chamber to a standing ovation, the king began his speech by saying, "We have really everything in common with America nowadays, except, of course, language.".He then praised the Congress itself, calling it a "cradle of democracy."The king, seemingly more used to the reserved atmosphere of a speech from the throne, looked surprised at the repeated standing ovations he received, not least when he wished the United States a happy 250th birthday..He called on the importance of the shared Christian faith as well as the ability for mutual respect in nations with a diverse array of religions.Speaking about the fact that it was still the Easter season, the King talked about the importance that faith has, not just in one's personal life but in the building of communities."The Christian faith is a firm anchor and daily inspiration that guides us not only personally, but together as members of our community,” he said..He then pivoted, after paying tribute to the victims of 9/11, from what had been, up until that point, quite a complementary address, to discuss the war in Ukraine and the state of NATO."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," the king said about NATO.Speaking about the longstanding partnership between the two nations, King Charles said that "that same unyielding resolve is needed for the defence of Ukraine and her most courageous people.".The king ended his address by calling on the United Kingdom and the United States to "rededicate ourselves" to supporting the people of their respective countries. He ended with the final line "God bless the United States, and God bless the United Kingdom.".As the king left the chamber of Congress, he was met with thunderous applause and a standing ovation.
