King Charles

They declared independence.

As Oscar Wilde said, we have really everything in common with America nowadays, except, of course, language.

It is, in fact, my 20th visit to the United States and my first as king and head of the Commonwealth.

This is a city which symbolizes a period in our shared history, or what Charles Dickens might have called a tale of two Georges.

King George, as you know, never set foot in America.

And please rest assured, ladies and gentlemen, I am not here as part of some cunning rearguard action.

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.

Ours is an indispensable partnership.

We must not disregard everything that has sustained us for the last 80 years.

The bond of kinship and identity between America and the United Kingdom is priceless and eternal.

Ours is an indispensable partnership.

We must not disregard everything that has sustained us for the last 80 years.

Instead, we must build on it.

Today, Mr. Speaker, that same unyielding resolve is needed for the defense of Ukraine and her most courageous people.

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...

America's words carry weight and meaning, as they have since independence.

The actions of this great nation matter even more.

Standing here today, it is hard not to feel the weight of history on my shoulder because the modern relationship between our two nations and our own peoples spans not merely 250 years, but over four centuries.