By Eduard Ribas i Admetlla
Washington (EFE).- Britain’s King Charles III called on Tuesday for reconciliation between his country and the United States amid tensions between Keir Starmer’s Labour government and president Donald Trump’s administration. The king delivered a historic speech at the Capitol to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence.
The address, which lasted less than half an hour and was delivered before a joint session of both houses of Congress, is one of the central events of the state visit by King Charles III and Queen Camilla, the first the royal couple has made to the United States since their coronation.
The trip comes at a time when the relationship between Washington and London, one of the most solid of the last century, is experiencing one of its lowest points due to Trump’s constant criticism of Starmer, particularly for his refusal to commit militarily to the Iran war initiated by the US.
Message of reconciliation
Trump was not present in the Congress chamber, but with Vice President JD Vance looking on, the British monarch did not shy away from thorny issues, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the alliance between Washington and London, which he called «one of the most consequential in human history.»
The king stressed that both countries share a «story of reconciliation, renewal, and remarkable partnership.» His speech is the first by a British monarch since Queen Elizabeth II’s address in 1991.
At that time, Charles III’s mother praised the close relationship between the two nations after the United Kingdom supported the United States in the Gulf War.
The current situation is different, but the monarch offered a message of unity: «I pray with all my heart that our alliance will continue to defend our shared values with our partners in Europe, and the Commonwealth, and across the world, and that we ignore the calls to become ever more inward looking.»
He also spoke in favor of NATO, an organization Trump has threatened to abandon following the UK’s non-intervention in the Strait of Hormuz.
He asserted that NATO upholds the principle of collective defense, noting that Article 5 of the treaty was first invoked following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
Furthermore, he urged the US to maintain support for Ukraine against Russia, at a time when this conflict no longer dominates headlines.
The speech was drafted by the British Government, not by Buckingham Palace, though King Charles III incorporated his own tone, including several comments of British humor.
The Capitol was secured by enhanced security measures, just days after the attack against Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, an act King Charles III firmly condemned: «Such acts of violence will never succeed.»
Is Trump easing tensions?
Trump, an admirer of the British monarchy, also appeared willing to ease tensions by hosting the king and queen with the First Lady, Melania, for a pompous ceremony of honor in the White House gardens earlier in the morning, complete with cannon salvos and a flyover by fighter jets.
Under a gray sky that threatened rain, Trump joked about the «beautiful British day,» assured the royals that the English are Americans’ closest friends, and, speaking of Charles III, whom he called a «very elegant man,» even claimed that his mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, «had a crush» on the monarch.
The day, which will conclude with a state dinner at the White House, was marked by gestures of closeness and symbolism, both during the ceremony and in a subsequent exchange of gifts, including a replica of the blueprints of the Oval Office desk that the monarch presented to Trump.
The case of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, stemming from the investigation into Prince Andrew, Charles III’s brother, hangs over the state visit. The king and queen, however, will not meet with victims during their trip. EFE
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