LIVE: King Charles ADDRESSES US CONGRESS

King Charles highlighted that while the US and UK had fundamental disagreements (like 'no taxation without representation'), these disputes ultimately led to shared democratic values. He traced American principles back to the British Enlightenment, English common law, Magna Carta (cited in 160 Supreme Court cases), and the 1689 Declaration of Rights, which influenced the American Bill of Rights.

The very principle on which your Congress was founded, no taxation without representation, was at once a fundamental disagreement between us and at the same time a shared democratic value which you inherited from us. Our declaration of rights of 1689 was not only the foundation of our constitutional monarchy but also provided the source of so many of the principles reiterated often verbatim in the American Bill of Rights of 1791.

The King asserted that the US-UK alliance, described by Henry Kissinger as Kennedy's 'soaring vision of an Atlantic partnership,' is more critical than ever. He noted that the current era is more dangerous than 1991, requiring a renewed commitment to foundational principles and collective action against threats like fascism in the past, and current conflicts in Europe and the Middle East.

That partnership, I believe, Mr. Speaker, is more important today than it has ever been. The challenges we face are too great for any one nation to bear alone. But in this unpredictable environment, our alliance cannot rest on past achievements or assume that foundational principles simply endure.

King Charles detailed the UK's commitment to its biggest sustained increase in defense spending since the Cold War, emphasizing the 'hardwired' defense, intelligence, and security ties with the US. He cited joint efforts in NATO, support for Ukraine, co-building F-35s, and the ambitious AUKUS submarine program with Australia as examples of building shared resilience.

The United Kingdom recognizes that the threats we face demand a transformation in British defense. That is why our country... has committed to the biggest sustained increase in defense spending since the Cold War... we are building F-35s together and we have agreed the most ambitious submarine program in history. Orcas. And we are doing it in partnership with Australia.

The King highlighted the robust economic relationship, including $430 billion in annual trade and $1.7 trillion in mutual investment. He announced new economic and technology agreements, focusing on combining talent and resources in cutting-edge fields such as nuclear fusion, quantum computing, AI, and drug discovery, which hold the promise of saving countless lives and ensuring joint prosperity.

Our governments are concluding new economic and technology agreements to write the next chapter of our joint prosperity and ensure that British and American ingenuity continues to lead the world. Our new partnerships in nuclear fusion and quantum computing and in AI and drug discovery holding the promise of saving countless lives.

King Charles stressed the shared responsibility to safeguard nature, describing it as the 'most precious and irreplaceable asset.' He warned that ignoring the collapse of critical natural systems threatens not only biodiversity but also economic prosperity and national security, urging both nations to address these challenges collectively.

As we look toward the next 250 years, we must also reflect on our shared responsibility to safeguard nature, our most precious and irreplaceable asset... 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.