King Charles III will address a joint meeting of the United States Congress on April 28 during a state visit to Washington that runs from April 27 to April 30, Congressional leaders announced Tuesday.
A joint statement issued by House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said the speech will “celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence and the enduring special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom.” The leaders added that an address to Congress would “provide a unique opportunity to share your vision for the future of our special relationship and reaffirm our alliance at this pivotal time in history.”
Johnson posted the invitation on X, describing the U.S.-U.K. partnership as “one of the most consequential partnerships in history.” President Donald Trump confirmed the dates of the King and Queen Camilla’s visit this week, saying the state visit will take place April 27–30.
The invitation comes as transatlantic relations face strains tied to the Trump administration’s posture toward NATO and recent rhetoric about allied participation in a potential U.S.-Israeli operation in Iran. On Wednesday the president said he was considering pulling the United States out of NATO — a comment that has raised alarms in capitals across Europe and at Westminster. Britain’s prime minister, Keir Starmer, used a press conference on Wednesday to reiterate the U.K.’s commitment to the alliance, saying, “I have to act in our national interests… This is not our war,” and that he would not change his position despite “a good deal of pressure” to join.
The visit therefore carries both ceremonial significance — marking the United States’ 250th Independence Day anniversary in 2026 — and a diplomatic purpose: leaders on both sides appear to be framing the trip as a moment to reaffirm the alliance. Congressional Democrats and Republicans jointly invited the monarch, signaling cross-party support for the symbolic boost to the bilateral relationship even as policy disagreements persist.
Legal and political constraints in Washington complicate any presidential decision to withdraw from NATO. In 2023, Congress passed legislation requiring either a two-thirds Senate vote to approve such a move or an act of Congress to authorize it, a change designed to make unilateral withdrawal more difficult.
State visits by foreign monarchs and heads of state typically include formal ceremonies, addresses to Congress and meetings with the president. The April visit will offer King Charles a platform to address the historic roots of U.S.-U.K. ties and to articulate a vision for cooperation at a moment when NATO’s cohesion and Western diplomatic strategy are being publicly tested.