King Charles III will deliver a historic speech on Tuesday before the US Congress, on the second day of his visit to the United States. The British monarch's speech is expected to carry a message calling for unity between Britain and the United States and promoting the "special relationship" between the two countries, in light of some controversial issues between the Starms government and Trump. The American President received at the White House on Monday, King Charles III and Queen Camilla on a four-day state visit, in the context of tensions between London and Washington, especially over the war on Iran.

Published on: 04/28/2026 - 04:11 Last updated: 04/28/2026 - 09:28

With a military reception ceremony, the state visit of King Charles III to the United States on Tuesday enters its second day, which is considered the most busy day of the visit in the official stations.

The British monarch will deliver a historic speech before Congress, in an attempt to ease tensions between the two countries over the war in Iran.

Charles's speech will be the second of its kind delivered by a British monarch before the US Congress, after his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, did the same in 1991.

The speech is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. EST (19:00 GMT).

A source at Buckingham Palace said that the king's speech is expected to last about 20 minutes, and to address issues including NATO, the Middle East, and Ukraine.

The King of England will touch on the historical ties between the United Kingdom and the United States, two countries that “have always known how to find ways of rapprochement,” according to an excerpt published by the King’s Media Office.

The King is also expected to reaffirm that defending democratic ideals is “necessary for freedom and equality” in the face of current international challenges.

Read also: King Charles III begins a state visit to the United States amid tension due to the Iran war.

Visit in exceptional circumstances

US President Donald Trump hosted King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the White House on Monday, on the first day of a state visit that will last until April 30, and comes in the wake of the attack that targeted the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Trump’s presence, and in light of diplomatic tension related to the war on Iran.

At the southern entrance to the White House, Trump and First Lady Melania welcomed the king and his wife, before accompanying them on a tour of the presidential residence.

Before that, the plane carrying the two guests landed at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington, where Charles and Camilla landed and were given an official reception.

As for London, a Buckingham Palace spokesman announced on Sunday that the visit “will proceed as planned” after an armed man attempted to storm the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

Speaking to Fox News on Sunday, Trump described King Charles III as "a great and very brave man who represents his country well."

The king had also expressed "great relief" that US President Trump, his wife Melania, and other dinner guests were not harmed.

Read also: The judiciary charges the suspect in the shooting during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner with an attempt to assassinate Trump

For his part, British Ambassador to the United States Christian Turner stressed on Sunday that Trump is "very excited" about this visit, which he sees as an opportunity to return the warm reception he received in the United Kingdom last year.

As for the evening, it includes an official dinner that brings together Trump, King Charles III, and their wives inside a reception hall in the White House, instead of the large pavilion in the gardens that is usually used for similar occasions.

Delicate balance

After the end of the Washington stop, the King and Queen will head to New York on Wednesday to visit the memorial to the victims of the attacks of September 11, 2001, before they meet Trump and his wife one last time on Thursday before their return to Britain.

One of King Charles III's priorities is to avoid the existing tension between London and Washington casting a shadow on the atmosphere of the carefully organized visit, which does not seem an easy task.

The British monarch is also asked to avoid fueling widespread criticism in the United Kingdom for this visit, which does not enjoy popular consensus, and not to give the impression that it is an attempt to appease Trump.

In addition, there is an implicit mission of trying to win over the American President, who expressed his dissatisfaction with the reservations of the Labor government in Britain regarding the war that the United States and Israel launched against Iran in February.

Moreover, Trump entered into a confrontation with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and damaged the “special relationship” with London by criticizing the British army and navy, and downplaying the sacrifices made by the British when they fought alongside American forces in Afghanistan.

Also not far from the visit's schedule is a highly sensitive file, represented by the Jeffrey Epstein case and the previous relationship between the king's brother, Prince Andrew, and the late financier convicted of sexual crimes.

Commentators will closely monitor any reference, even implicitly, to this issue, which continues to confuse the British royal family, during the four days that King Charles III and Queen Camilla spend in the United States.

France 24/AFP

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