Charles Delivers Historic Congress Speech as State Visit Hits Its Peak

0:00 Ah calorogus shark media. Hello, and welcome to Palace Intrigue. I am host Mark Francis. On Tuesday, Donald Trump praised the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom during remarks at the White House, highlighting the long standing times between the two nations. The President also paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth, recalling a symbolic moment from her nineteen ninety one visit. He said, Queen Elizabeth, the second very very special woman who has greatly missed on both sides of that mighty Atlantic, long ago planted a young tree, was a very young and beautiful tree, and look at it now. Drawing a comparison, Trump added that like the United States, the tree was laid by British hands on American soil. Reflecting on the broader relationship, he said, in the century since the US achieved independence, Americans have had no closer friends than the British. Trump also spoke about his mother's fondness for the royal saying, my mother, I just see it so clearly. She loved the royal family, and she loved the Queen. Anytime the Queen was involved in the ceremony, my mother would be glued to the television and she'd say, look, Donald, look how beautiful that is. She really did love the family.

1:13 I also remember her saying very clearly, Charles, look, young, Charles is so cute. My mother had a crush on Charles. Can you believe it? He said, I wonder what she's thinking right now. The centerpiece of the day was King Charles's speech to Congress, which we've included separately in full as a bonus episode in this feed. The King told the Chamber we meet in times of great uncertainty, in times of conflict from Europe to the Middle East, which pose immense challenges. The speech, written with input from the British government, also included a commitment to increased defense spending, with the King stating our country, in order to be fit for the future, as committed to the biggest sustained increase in defense spending since the Cold War. He also addressed recent violence in Washington following the shooting at the White House correspond and dinner, telling lawmakers, let me say, with unshakable resolve, such acts of violence will never succeed.

2:07 The address struck a broader moral tone as well, with the King highlighting shared democratic values and calling for greater understanding between different communities. He said, I am inspired by the profound respect that develops as people of different faiths grow in their understanding of each other. Despite these serious themes, there were moments of levity. Referring to the United States marking its two hundred and fiftieth anniversary, the King joked, that's two hundred and fifty years, or as we say in the United Kingdom, just the other day. The speech marked only the second time a British monarch has addressed Congress, following Queen Elizabeth I in nineteen ninety one. Opening his remarks, the King addressed the recent violence in Washington, telling lawmakers that such actual lever succeed, while offering sympathy to those affected by the shooting at the White House correspondence dinner.

2:55 He used the speech to emphasize the enduring alliance between the UK and US, state that the relationship carries weight and meaning, and urging continued cooperation on global security, including support for NATO and Ukraine. Charles was by all accounts very charming and very funny. The King made a lighthearted reference to the British tradition in which a member of Parliament is symbolically held hostage at Buckingham Palace during the State opening to ensure the monarch's safe return. Now, as you may know, when I address my own Parliament at Westminster, we still follow an age old tradition and take a member of Parliament hostage, holding him or her at Buckingham Palace until I am safely returned. These days we look after our guests rather well, to the point that they often do not want to leave. I don't know, mister Speaker, if there were any volunteers for that role.

4:04 Here today, in a serious moment, the King spoke about nine to eleven and expressed the need to defend Ukraine. The latter got a standing ovation. This year, of course, also marks the twenty fifth anniversary of nine to eleven. This atrocity was a defining moment for America, and your pain and shock were felt around the whole world. During my visit to New York, my wife and I will again pay our respects to the victims, the families, and the bravery shown in the face of terrible loss. We stood with you then, and we stand with you now in solemn remembrance of a day that she'll never be forgotten in the immediate aftermath of nine to eleven, when NATO invoked Article five for the first time and the United Nations Security Council was united in the face of terror. We answered the call together, as our people have done so for more than a century,

5:37 shoulder to shoulder through two World wars, the Code War, Afghanistan, and moments that have defined our shared security today, Mister Speaker, that same unyielding resolve is needed for the defense of Ukraine and her most courageous people. The King also got a standing ovation from his commentary about executive power of. The principles reiterated often verbatim in the American Bill of Rights of seventeen ninety one, and those routes go even further back in history. The US Supreme Court Historical Society has calculated that Magna Carta is cited in at least one hundred and sixty Supreme Court cases since seventeen eighty nine, not least as the foundation of the principle that executive power is subject to checks and balances.

6:48 In the telegraph, Hannafiness called it a message that perhaps only the king could deliver. She adds, some of the messages were so tactfully delivered that they appear to have been missed on first hearing. There were some mutterings from US television commentators in the hours afterwards about whether the King had strayed into American politics. This will be seen as mission accomplished. It was the sort of speech the King was trusted to deliver. With the initial reaction, the British government would have hoped for the White House inaccurately but enthusiastically posted a picture of the King and the US President on its social media with the caption two Kings more palace in just a moment. At the White House State Dinner, guests were served a refined four course menu that blended French culinary style with American sourced ingredients.

7:42 The opening course was a garden vegetable volute accompanied by hearts of palm, toasted shallots and micro mint. This was followed by a second course of spring herbed ravioli served with ricotta, cheese, morels, and parmesan moulsion. For the main course, diners were presented with dover sol minnie prepared with butterflower and parsley, alongside potato, pavey, spring rams, snow peas, and Parsley Oil. Dessert featured a combination of white House honey and vanilla bean, Cremau, flowerless chocolate, Gatto Armond Joconde and crem Fresh a screen. Among those in attendance were Jeff Bezos, Tim Cook, and David Ellison. The event also drew a strong presence from Fox News, with thenks including Brett Bayer, Jesse Watters, Meansley Earhart, Greg Gudfield, Laura Ingram, and Maria Bartiromo in attendance, along with the network's chief executive Suzanne Scott.

8:36 At the dinner, the King again underscored the historic tires between the two nations, recalling past moments of cooperation during times of crisis. He said, during World War Two, at the most critical time in the darkest days of the twentieth century, American leadership helped rebuild a shattered continent, playing a decisive role as a defender of freedom in Europe. He added that the partnership remains vital today, saying we and I shall never forget that, nor least not least as freedom is again under attack following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Today, our partnerships in NATO and ORCUS deep in our technological and military cooperation and ensure that together we can meet the challenges of an increasingly complex and contested world. In a lighter moment, the King joked about recent construction at the White House, telling the President, I cannot help noticing the readjustments to the East wing, mister President, before adding I'm sorry to say that we British, of course, made our own small attempt at real estate development of the White House in eighteen fourteen. The King also had another well crafted joke in his arsenal.

9:41 This said, our French friends can feel equally at home with a glass at a map. Indeed, you recently commented, mister President, that if it were not for the United States, European countries would be speaking German. Dare I say that because of us, you'd be speaking French. President Trump, hosting the dinner, plays the alliance and its toast, calling it a treasured friendship, an eternal bond, and a true story of extraordinary heroism and skill. He added, may our two countries stand together forever for liberty, for justice, and for the glory of God. Trump will suggested agreement between himself and the King on foreign policy, saying we are never going to let that opponent. Ever, Charles agrees with me more than I do. We're never going to let that opponent have a nuclear weapon. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson responded by reiterating the monarch's constitutional position, saying the King is naturally mindful of his government's long standing and well known position on the prevention of nuclear proliferation. The visit comes amid strained relations between Washington and London, particularly over the conflict in Iran. However, the King used the moment to emphasize unity, reminding warmakers that our two countries have always found ways to come together. The speech was met with repeated applause, reportedly drawing around a dozen innovations, as the King sought to reinforce what he described as a shared commitment to democratic values, international cooperation, and what he called a story of reconciliation, renewal and remarkable partnership.

11:13 And there you have it. If you'd like to email us addresses the Palace Intrigue at gmail dot com, we'll continue to bring you some updated and bonus episodes today and tomorrow, just covering the US visit. I'm Mark Francis. My thanks to John McDermott that says balance intrigue and good terms