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• Happening now: King Charles is addressing a joint meeting of Congress. His speech is expected to emphasize the long history and democratic values the United Kingdom shares with the United States. It’s only the second time a British monarch has addressed Congress.
• At the White House today: US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania earlier welcomed Charles and Queen Camilla with a traditional military arrival ceremony. They will meet again this evening for a state dinner.
• US-UK tensions: Relations between the allies have been strained since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran, after Trump criticized Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s refusal to offer substantial military assistance. Although the King must stay above politics, his government is hoping his US tour can help ease tensions.
King Charles recalls Queen Elizabeth II’s 1991 Congress address in speech
King Charles opened his address to Congress with a personal touch, remembering his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II
He also praised US lawmakers. “So, I come here today with the highest respect for the United States Congress; this citadel of democracy created to represent the voice of all American people to advance sacred rights and freedoms,” the King said.
He later added that today’s address is a “great occasion in the life of our Nations to express the highest regard and friendship of the British people to the people of the United States.”
“Acts of violence will never succeed,” Charles says of shooting at correspondents’ dinner
King Charles began his address to Congress by referencing the “incident not far from this great building” – the Saturday night shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
The King said the shooting “sought to harm the leadership of your nation and to foment wider fear and discord.”
“Let me say with unshakeable resolve: such acts of violence will never succeed,” the King said. “Whatever our differences, whatever disagreements we may have, we stand united in our commitment to uphold democracy, to protect all our people from harm, and to salute the courage of those who daily risk their lives in the service of our countries.”
Coming just two days before King Charles and Queen Camilla were set to arrive in the US, the shooting briefly threatened to derail the planned four-day state visit. President Donald Trump later insisted that the royal couple would be “very safe” while in the US.
On Monday, Cole Tomas Allen, the suspect in the shooting, made his first court appearance and was charged with attempting to assassinate the president.
NOW: King Charles begins his speech to Congress
King Charles’ address to Congress is underway.
The monarch acknowledged that his state visit to the United States comes at a time of “great uncertainty,” with conflicts raging in Europe and the Middle East.
The monarch is also expected to emphasize the long history and democratic values his country shares with the United States, delivered while relations between the two nations are at an unusually low ebb.
He was welcomed in the chamber with a long applause and a standing ovation.
We’ll bring you more as we get it.
Vice President JD Vance leads senators to the House chamber
US Vice President JD Vance led senators to the House chamber ahead of King Charles’ speech to Congress.
US House Speaker Mike Johnson and the chamber applauded as Vance and the their colleagues made their way in for the joint meeting.
Vance and Johnson exchanged a handshake upon meeting on the dais.
Moments from King Charles' arrival on Capitol Hill ahead of his speech
King Charles has arrived at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, ahead of his address to a joint meeting of Congress. He first met House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Then, the British monarch met the Congressional “Big Four,” which includes Johnson, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
A look back at Queen Elizabeth II’s 1991 address to Congress
The last time a reigning British monarch addressed a joint session of Congress, the world had been rocked by war in the Gulf. That time, however, the United States and Britain saw eye-to-eye on the conflict.
She was speaking shortly after the end of the Gulf War, which the US – as part of an alliance comprising 39 nations – waged against Iraq in response to its invasion of Kuwait.
Today’s Gulf War could not be more different. In concert with Israel, the US attacked Iran without consulting its allies. President Donald Trump has since, however, berated those same allies for not assisting the US military – particularly in its efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran effectively closed after the war began.
Keir Starmer has borne the brunt of the president’s ire. Trump has belittled Britain’s prime minister, saying he was “no Churchill” and comparing him instead to Neville Chamberlain, a previous British leader who appeased Hitler.
Trump’s spat with Starmer could pose a problem for King Charles, who is set to address Congress shortly. His address is expected to acknowledge the recent tensions between the two countries over Trump’s war with Iran – before focusing on the common “democratic, legal and social traditions” the old allies share.
King Charles' upcoming address to Congress was months in the making
King Charles’ historic speech to the US Congress today has been months in the making, going through various layers of approval. The speech was also tweaked as the royals flew to the United States.
CNN’s Max Foster reports on what to expect in the King’s address:
King Charles’ historic speech to the US Congress today has been months in the making, going through various layers of approval. CNN’s Max Foster reports from the White House on what to expect in the King’s address.
Speaker Johnson welcomes King Charles to Capitol Hill
House Speaker Mike Johnson has welcomed King Charles in the Speaker’s Office Hallway, ahead of the monarch’s address to the joint meeting of Congress.
Earlier, Johnson said he was looking forward to welcoming Charles to the Capitol for his “historic” address. Charles’ address will be the first by a reigning British monarch since his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth, spoke to Congress in 1991.
Johnson briefly met the King last night, at a garden party at the residence of the British ambassador to Washington.
“We’re so happy to have you,” Johnson told Charles Monday evening. He said it had been his “great honor” to address Britain’s parliament earlier this year – the the first US House Speaker to do so.
In his speech to parliament, Johnson said that touring the 1,000-year-old Windsor Castle helped “put in perspective” that the 250 years since America declared independence “is not a long span of time in the scale of human history.”
During a dinner at parliament, Johnson said one of his hosts had joked that on the table were “items of silverware older than my country.”
See inside the Oval Office during King's high-stakes visit
King Charles and President Donald Trump held a private meeting in the Oval Office earlier today – a moment many in the United Kingdom were hoping would help ease the tensions that built up between the two nations in recent weeks.
Trump has repeatedly criticised the UK and its Prime Minister Keir Starmer for refusing to offer substantial military assistance in the conflict with Iran.
The monarch does not get involved in politics, but he is in the US on the advice of the government and is tasked in acting in the interest of his people. Given Trump’s known affection for the British royals, Starmer and his government are hoping Charles can smooth things over.
First lady and queen view historical artifacts — with a modern twist
First lady Melania Trump and Queen Camilla’s spousal outing on Tuesday featured historical artifacts, with a modern twist.
As their husbands met privately, the first lady and the queen joined a dozen local middle school students at the White House tennis pavilion for an event highlighting the use of technology in education — including virtual reality headsets and Meta sunglasses.
On one side of the tennis court, they observed a tablet showing what what the children could see in their headsets: landmarks of the United Kingdom, including Snowdonia, Stonehenge and Buckingham Palace.
On the other side, children wore AI-enabled sunglasses that enhanced a series of artifacts curated by the first lady — a bust of Prime Minister Winston Churchill; a portrait of President John Adams, who was also the first US ambassador to the United Kingdom; and blue and white Staffordshire ceramic ware.
After Trump briefly put on her own set of sunglasses, a student inquired with Camilla if she was interested in doing the same — underscoring the off-script moments that can happen when children are involved in diplomatic events.
“You want to try these?” the boy asked the queen, removing his glasses, to which she shook her head with a polite “no.”
King and queen exchange pieces of history and jewelry with Trumps
King Charles and Queen Camilla are exchanging gifts of UK-US history with President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump, as well as a futuristically crafted piece of jewelry.
Charles is presenting the president with “a framed facsimile of the 1879 design plans for the Resolute Desk,” according to a release from Buckingham Palace. The desk, which sits in the Oval Office, was crafted from the British exploration ship H.M.S. Resolute.
Trump is giving the king “a custom facsimile of a letter written from John Adams to John Jay in 1785,” according to the same release. In the letter, Adams describes his reception as the first US ambassador to Great Britain, where King George III said that “although he was ‘the last to consent to the separation,’ he would be the first to meet U.S. friendship.”
The queen is gifting the first lady a brooch from British jewelry designer Fiona Rae, whose work, the palace notes, is a “fusion of traditional craft skills alongside the latest developments in technology and computer-aided design” — a possible nod to Melania Trump’s interest in AI and advancing technologies.
And the first lady is giving the queen six Tiffany’s teaspoons from the “English King Sterling Silver” collection, along with a jar of White House honey — a reflection of Camilla’s interest in beekeeping. Blair House chose this flatware pattern in 1987 for hosting heads of state and dignitaries.
US lawmaker says he expects King Charles to address Epstein survivors in his speech today
US Rep. Ro Khanna said he expects King Charles to address the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein during his address to Congress today – though the palace has not confirmed he will do so.
“I met with the British ambassador. The British ambassador has suggested that the king will acknowledge the Epstein survivors in his address to Congress today,” Khanna, a California Democrat, said.
“I hope his flunkies don’t take out the acknowledgement from his text and I fully expect the king to be acknowledging the survivors and the Epstein survivors when he speaks to our nation and Congress this afternoon,” Khanna said.
The palace has not indicated publicly that Charles will address Epstein survivors in his remarks set for this afternoon.
CNN has reached out to the British embassy for comment.
Khanna, who was behind the push to release the Epstein files publicly, is convening survivors of the late sex offender’s abuse for a roundtable Tuesday to give them an opportunity to share their stories ahead of the king’s visit to Capitol Hill.
The California Democrat previously requested that the king meet with the survivors directly.
“I thought the king owed that to the survivors given his brother’s serious allegations of abuse, and I thought it would have been an incredible moment and statement to show that it doesn’t matter how much wealth you have, how much power you have, no human being is dispensable,” Khanna said. “The survivors deserve justice.”
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has previously denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein and said that he never witnessed or suspected any of the behavior of which the sex offender was accused.
CNN’s Dalia Abdelwahab contributed to this report.
This post has been updated with additional information.
King Charles and Queen Camilla watch military review
After President Donald Trump’s speech, the two couples paused on the balcony of the South Portico to watch a “Pass in Review” of nearly 500 members from all six military branches in attendance — an historic first, according to the White House.
Shortly, King Charles and the US president will have a private bilateral meeting in the Oval Office.
Queen Camilla and the first lady will head to the White House Tennis Pavilion for an educational event where students will use VR headsets and AI-enabled glasses to learn about the history of the two countries.
Trump celebrates the royal family and a "cute" King Charles III
President Donald Trump reiterated his respect for the royal family Tuesday, invoking memories of his mother as he joked about a “cute” King Charles III.
“She loved the royal family and she loved the queen,” the president said of his Scottish-born mother in remarks welcoming his guests at the White House.
Trump said his mother would be “glued to the television” any time Queen Elizabeth II participated in her ceremonial duties.
“She’d say, ‘Look, Donald, how beautiful that is.’ She really did love that family,” he said.
Trump also recalled his mother admiring the young then-Prince Charles.
The president, who enjoys the pomp and pageantry of an official state visit, heaped praise on King Charles and Queen Camilla for a “spectacular honor” during his “extraordinary visit to Windsor Castle” last year and is now keen to impress his guests.
Trump has personally taken an expanded role in planning for this week’s events, taking the lead on details such as the guest list and menu selection for tonight’s state dinner, with his wife weighing in, according to one source familiar with the matter.
“Now it is our tremendous privilege to host you,” he said.
Trump sticks to script, avoiding any mention of ongoing US-UK tensions
Aside from a few light moments, President Donald Trump stuck to his script during his address, paying tribute to joint American-British ties and making no allusion to the ongoing tensions between the two nations.
He underscored the two nations’ shared military histories, though he didn’t repeat his demands that Britain do more to patrol the Strait of Hormuz or join in the war with Iran.
And while he paid honor to Winston Churchill, the legendary British wartime leader, he did not repeat his assessment that current Prime Minister Keir Starmer is “no Churchill.”
Instead, Trump harkened back to shared culture and history, a fate he said “drew a long arc from the meadow at Runnymede to the street of Philadelphia.”
It was an on-script Trump, who seemed determined to avoid any awkwardness with King Charles III at the start of a visit he appeared honored to host.
Trump speaks on evolution of relationship with UK
US President Donald Trump welcomed King Charles III to the White House with a speech celebrating the evolution of the United States’ relationship with the United Kingdom.
“In the shadows of monuments to George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, honoring the British king might seem an ironic beginning to our celebration of 250 years of American independence. But in fact, no tribute could be more appropriate,” Trump said from the South Lawn of the White House.
Trump said the Americans who fought for US independence in 1776 had “veins ran with Anglo Saxon courage. Their hearts beat with an English faith and standing firm for what is right, good and true.”
“The mightiest of trees, like the greatest of nations, must be anchored by the strongest and deepest of roots. In the centuries since we won our independence, Americans have had no closer friends than the British,” he said.
Trump jokes he and Melania "won't be able to match" his parents’ 63 years of marriage
President Donald Trump paid tribute to his late parents in remarks welcoming King Charles III and Queen Camilla to the White House Tuesday, noting his mother’s ties to the United Kingdom in a speech from the White House South Lawn.
Trump’s mother, Mary McLeod, was born in the Scottish Hebrides before moving to the United States, where she met real estate developer Fred Trump.
“They were married for 63 years and — excuse me, if you don’t mind, that’s a record we won’t be able to match, darling,” Trump told his wife, first lady Melania Trump, who was seated near the president on the podium. “Sorry, just not going to work out that way — we’ll do well, but we’re not going to do that well, 63 years.”
The president married Melania Trump in 2005 in a Palm Beach ceremony. The Slovenian-born former model is his third wife.
First lady and queen complement each other in white ensembles
First lady Melania Trump and Queen Camilla appear to have taken a page out of the same playbook for their outfits, both wearing white ensembles.
Trump chose American designer Ralph Lauren for her white silk and wool jacket, along with a straw hat with white sash by Eric Javits and Manolo Blahnik matte snake pumps. The queen is wearing a white dress with coat and brooch, along with a white hat.
The first lady spends months planning details for state visits, including her outfit choices.
Particularly at events where the principals will be seen and not heard, the message they send through their wardrobe choices is a significant one, and those details are often communicated in advance through diplomatic channels.
“We were pretty forthright, calling and saying, ‘Is she wearing blue today? And what shade of blue is it?’ And then we would wear navy if she was wearing sky blue. We definitely don’t want to clash – we want to complement,” one source familiar with planning previously told CNN ahead of the Trumps’ visit to the UK last fall.
Even amid pomp and ceremony, ballroom construction continues apace
Even as President Donald Trump was welcoming the king and queen to the White House South Lawn, construction on the president’s new ballroom continued apace nearby.
A large crane, which has been building where the East Wing sat before it was demolished, was moving back and forth before the ceremony got underway. The location of the new ballroom is a few hundred yards from the South Portico, where the president and first lady welcomed the royals.
Trump has bemoaned the fact the ballroom would remain unfinished in time for Charles’ visit this week. He could be seen gesturing in the direction of the construction site when he welcomed the king to the White House on Monday.
Trumps officially welcome royal couple at White House with ceremony
It’s day two of King Charles and Queen Camilla’s state visit to the United States – and today is going to be busy!
The King and Queen’s first day in Washington saw them informally welcomed by the Trumps at the White House over a cup of tea before the royal couple mingled with guests at a garden party at the British ambassador’s residence.
Today, President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump are formally welcoming the royals at the White House with a state arrival ceremony with Military Honors rendered by the United States Army Herald Trumpets on the South Lawn of the White House.
First lady Melania Trump is wearing a white ensemble with a straw hat as she greets the King and Queen, opting for American designer Ralph Lauren for her white silk and wool jacket, a hat by Eric Javits, and Manolo Blahnik matte snake pumps. The first lady spends months planning diplomatic details for the state visit – including her outfit choices.
Drawing on a tradition dating back to the 18th century, the president and first lady will mark the official arrival of the royals with a traditional military arrival ceremony – the highest diplomatic honor extended by the US to a visiting head of state.
The King and Queen are first meeting official delegations from both countries before making their way to the dais for a 21-gun salute from the Presidential Salute Battery and renditions of both national anthems played by “The President’s Own” US Marine Band.
Next, King Charles and Trump will inspect the troops on parade before the president says a few words to bring the ceremony to a close.
This post has been updated with additional developments.
CNN’s Betsy Klein contributed to this report.
