King Charles III is set to address both chambers of the United States Congress during his visit to the country in late April, in an exceptionally rare occasion. As announced by Buckingham Palace, this will be only the second time in history that a British monarch has delivered a speech before the American Congress. The address is scheduled for April 28, according to House Speaker Mike Johnson.
The previous time such an event occurred was in 1991, when Queen Elizabeth II, Charles’s mother, addressed Congress at the Capitol.
King Charles III’s official visit amid tensions between Washington and London
King Charles III’s official visit, scheduled for April 27-30 to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence, comes amid tensions between Washington and London triggered by the Middle East war. Some elected officials in the United Kingdom had called for its cancellation. “This visit will be an opportunity to highlight the shared history of our two nations, the breadth of our relationship, and the deep bonds that unite our peoples,” Buckingham Palace stated in their announcement on Tuesday.
While the two countries share a historically “special relationship,” US President Donald Trump has recently intensified his criticism of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, accusing him of not supporting the American-Israeli offensive against Iran.
The Labour leader, however, defended the timing of the royal visit. “The relationship between our two countries is very important from many perspectives, and often, thanks to the bonds forged, the monarchy can transcend such situations,” Keir Starmer told parliament on Monday.
Donald Trump, known for his appreciation of the British royal family, has already made two official visits to the United Kingdom – the most recent in September. In March, he expressed his satisfaction with the “amazing” opportunity to host the king.
This visit also comes as King Charles III faces the fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein case, which led to the February arrest of his brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who is suspected of providing confidential information to the American financier convicted of sexual crimes, who was found dead in 2019.
According to the program released by Buckingham Palace, King Charles and Queen Camilla will first be received in Washington by Donald and Melania Trump at a private tea reception, followed by a garden party.
The official visit will also include a military ceremony, a meeting between King Charles III and the American president, and an official dinner at the White House. Charles and Camilla will travel to New York, where they will pay tribute to the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks, and then to Virginia. They will subsequently visit Bermuda – a British overseas territory – until May 2.
