On 28 April 2026, King Charles III addressed the United States Congress — a moment charged with ceremony and quiet historical weight. As he walked slowly to the lectern, his bearing alone seemed to still the chamber. Something rare and significant was about to unfold.
He opened, disarmingly, with wit. Quoting Oscar Wilde, the King drew warm laughter from the assembled legislators:
"We have really everything in common with America nowadays, except, of course, language."
What followed earned him numerous standing ovations — a speech woven from clever humour, resonant historical references, and genuine praise for America and its enduring friendship with Britain. I found myself particularly struck by one phrase: "The Founding Fathers were bold and imaginative rebels with a cause." Descriptive, precise, and quietly daring.
The speech was as much a history lesson as an act of statesmanship. The King invoked Magna Carta — Latin for "Great Charter" — the foundational document agreed upon in England in 1215, enshrining the principle that no one stands above the law. It is the bedrock upon which democracy in both the United Kingdom and the United States was built, and hearing it spoken of in those hallowed chambers carried a particular resonance.
What impressed me most was the King's masterclass in diplomacy — a rare blend of candour and grace. Even when addressing issues that divide Congress, he spoke with sincerity and authenticity, never retreating into comfortable platitudes.
His closing was quietly profound. Reminding his audience that America's words carry weight and meaning, he added that the actions of this great nation matter even more. He then sealed the thought by invoking Lincoln's timeless words from the Gettysburg Address:
"The world will little note what we say, but it will never forget what we do."
It was, in every sense, a speech worthy of the occasion — and of the man who delivered it.
In my next edition, we turn to something altogether lighter: the King's after-dinner speech, and the rather different art of making a room laugh.
Warmly,
Olga Smith