Congress awaits a royal address from King Charles – Roll Call

## Summary
His Majesty Charles III, king of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, is set to address a joint meeting of Congress on April 28, House and Senate leaders announced Wednesday. “The relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom has evolved into one of the most consequential partnerships in modern history,” the congressional leaders wrote in a letter to the king. “We believe an Address to Congress will 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.” Charles will also attend a dinner at the White House on April 28, President Donald Trump posted on social media. Trump visited the United Kingdom in September, and Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., in January became the first speaker in U.S. history to address the British Parliament. “I look forward to spending time with the King, whom I greatly respect,” Trump wrote of the upcoming visit. “It will be TERRIFIC!” Ironically, the announcement comes days after the so-called “No Kings” rallies in protest of the Trump administration drew record numbers across the U.S. Just after Johnson gave his address to Parliament in January, Trump took to social media to criticize the United Kingdom for ceding British territory overseas and his ongoing quest for U.S. control of Greenland. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., sponsor of the law that mandated the Justice Department release its Epstein-related files, on Tuesday wrote a letter to the king to ask that he “privately meet with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s and Ghislaine Maxwell’s abuse, so they may speak to you directly about the ways powerful individuals and institutions failed them.” “Survivors want this meeting,” Khanna wrote. “I make this request in light of recent developments in the United Kingdom, including renewed scrutiny of individuals and institutions with ties to Epstein and his network.” Recent Stories Trump unites divided GOP leadership behind Homeland Security deal Judge denies Trump effort to end Jan. 6 lawsuits before trial Supreme Court questions curtailing of birthright citizenship Congress awaits a royal address from King Charles Trump to address nation on Iran as gas prices rise, poll numbers drop — and midterms loom Congress must approve Trump ballroom, judge finds

## Article Content
King Charles III has been invited to speak at the Capitol during his visit to the U.S. in April. Above, he talks with President Donald Trump at a banquet in the U.K. in September 2025. (
Doug Mills/Getty Images
)
By
Valerie Yurk
and
Savannah Behrmann
Posted April 1, 2026 at 1:59pm
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During the nation’s 250th anniversary, the British are coming — this time by invitation.
His Majesty Charles III, king of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, is set to address a joint meeting of Congress on April 28, House and Senate leaders announced Wednesday.
“The relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom has evolved into one of the most consequential partnerships in modern history,” the congressional leaders
wrote
in a letter to the king. “We believe an Address to Congress will 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.”
Charles will also attend a dinner at the White House on April 28, President Donald Trump
posted
on social media. Trump visited the United Kingdom in September, and Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., in January became
the first speaker
in U.S. history to address the British Parliament.
“I look forward to spending time with the King, whom I greatly respect,” Trump wrote of the upcoming visit. “It will be TERRIFIC!”
Ironically, the announcement comes days after the so-called “No Kings” rallies in protest of the Trump administration drew
record numbers
across the U.S.
In 1991, Queen Elizabeth II became the
first British monarch to address
a joint meeting of Congress, affirming the unity and “identical” views of the two countries in the wake of the Gulf War.
Several Irish American lawmakers, including then-Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II, D-Mass., boycotted the queen’s speech over the Troubles in Northern Ireland, according to
reporting
at the time
. (She also
made a splash
donning a peach-colored hat despite House rules preventing hat-wearing on the floor. For Her Majesty, Congress made an exception.)
The last address to Congress by a foreign dignitary was by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,
almost two years ago
.
Despite recent across-the-pond visits, some tension still remains between the old foes. Just after Johnson gave his address to Parliament in January, Trump took to social media
to criticize
the United Kingdom for ceding British territory overseas and his ongoing quest for U.S. control of Greenland.
More recently, Trump has slammed U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer for holding off on allowing U.S. aircraft to use British bases for operations against Iran.
“That’s OK, Prime Minister Starmer, we don’t need them any longer — But we will remember,” Trump
wrote
on social media in March. “We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!”
Charles may also be confronted with ongoing fallout from the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein that has rattled political circles in the U.S. and across the pond.
The possible flashpoint comes as some royals and politicians abroad — including the king’s brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew — have lost power due to their ties to Epstein, even as others in the U.S. have not faced the same fate.
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., sponsor of the
law
that mandated the Justice Department release its Epstein-related files, on Tuesday
wrote a letter
to the king to ask that he “privately meet with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s and Ghislaine Maxwell’s abuse, so they may speak to you directly about the ways powerful individuals and institutions failed them.”
“Survivors want this meeting,” Khanna wrote. “I make this request in light of recent developments in the United Kingdom, including renewed scrutiny of individuals and institutions with ties to Epstein and his network.”
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## Expert Analysis

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### Implications
- His Majesty Charles III, king of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, is set to address a joint meeting of Congress on April 28, House and Senate leaders announced Wednesday. “The relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom has evolved into one of the most consequential partnerships in modern history,” the congressional leaders wrote in a letter to the king. “We believe an Address to Congress will 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.” Charles will also attend a dinner at the White House on April 28, President Donald Trump posted on social media.
- Trump visited the United Kingdom in September, and Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., in January became the first speaker in U.S. history to address the British Parliament. “I look forward to spending time with the King, whom I greatly respect,” Trump wrote of the upcoming visit. “It will be TERRIFIC!” Ironically, the announcement comes days after the so-called “No Kings” rallies in protest of the Trump administration drew record numbers across the U.S.
- Prime Minister Keir Starmer for holding off on allowing U.S. aircraft to use British bases for operations against Iran. “That’s OK, Prime Minister Starmer, we don’t need them any longer — But we will remember,” Trump wrote on social media in March. “We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!” Charles may also be confronted with ongoing fallout from the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein that has rattled political circles in the U.S. and across the pond.
- Ro Khanna, D-Calif., sponsor of the law that mandated the Justice Department release its Epstein-related files, on Tuesday wrote a letter to the king to ask that he “privately meet with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s and Ghislaine Maxwell’s abuse, so they may speak to you directly about the ways powerful individuals and institutions failed them.” “Survivors want this meeting,” Khanna wrote. “I make this request in light of recent developments in the United Kingdom, including renewed scrutiny of individuals and institutions with ties to Epstein and his network.” Recent Stories Trump unites divided GOP leadership behind Homeland Security deal Judge denies Trump effort to end Jan. 6 lawsuits before trial Supreme Court questions curtailing of birthright citizenship Congress awaits a royal address from King Charles Trump to address nation on Iran as gas prices rise, poll numbers drop — and midterms loom Congress must approve Trump ballroom, judge finds

### Expert Commentary
This article covers trump, address, king topics. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 690.