King Charles III Delivers Joint Address to Congress During Historic First U.S. State Visit as Monarch

Visit Celebrates 250 th Anniversary of U.S. Independence, Enduring U.S. and U.K. Partnership ***Click here for audio.*** WASHINGTON, D.C. – His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty Queen Camilla visited the United States this week, marking their first official visit to the United States since the King’s ascension to the throne. The visit honors the longstanding and special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom as America approaches the 250 th anniversary of its independence. The four-day visit featured a series of events, including a garden party hosted by British Ambassador Sir Christian Turner and a formal State Arrival Ceremony at the White House—a tradition dating back to the nation’s earliest days. U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) joined administration officials, members of Congress, military families, and students in welcoming Their Majesties. In a rare and historic moment, King Charles III addressed a joint meeting of Congress, only the second British monarch to do so, following Queen Elizabeth II in 1991. Cramer issued the following statement after King Charles III’s address: “To hear King Charles III address Congress while I’m a member of it is really special for me. I can’t help but think about myself, a 14 th generation American with three ancestors actually on the Mayflower, the ‘original rebels’ if you will. It is moments like this that remind us the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom transcends history and it maintains relevance today. The King, like the President at the White House, talked about values that the President said was handed down to Americans from our family from Great Britain: freedom, democracy, the rule of law. It’s remarkable when you think about the timing of this visit and this speech. Here we are as we celebrate 250 years of American independence from Great Britain, and it shows us how far we’ve come. Two countries who were once on opposite sides of a war, as well as an ocean, are now among the closest allies in the world. “From the White House ceremony to today’s address before Congress, the whole visit really puts this important, geopolitical, family partnership on full display for the world to see. I was grateful to witness history and to be part of welcoming Their Majesties.”