King Charles is addressing the United States Congress on the second day of his state visit to the US.
Referring to the attempted assassination of US President Donald Trump at a Washington media dinner on Saturday, the King said “such acts of violence will never succeed”.
He expressed his “particular gratitude to you all for the great honour of addressing this Joint Meeting of Congress”.
In the packed chamber, he thanked the American people “on behalf of the Queen and myself” for welcoming them to the US to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. His first remarks prompted a standing ovation.
Quoting the playwright Oscar Wilde, Charles remarked: “And for all of that time, our destinies as nations have been interlinked. As Oscar Wilde said, ‘We have really everything in common with America nowadays except, of course, language’.”
The King referred to “times of great uncertainty” and “times of conflict” in Europe and the Middle East, stressing that these posed “immense challenges” across the world.
He added that the UK and US had “always found ways to come together”.
His Majesty’s trip is seen as diplomatically significant following weeks of tensions between the US and UK governments over the Iran war.
The King quoted Sir Keir Starmer, who has face repeated criticism from President Trump, saying: “As my Prime Minister said last month ‘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’.”
Notably, when the monarch called for the same “unyielding resolve” to be shown for Ukraine as that in the wake of the 9/11 attacks a number of members on the Republican side of the chamber did not rise to their feet with others and clap.
The King added: “The story of the United Kingdom and the United States is, at its heart, a story of reconciliation, renewal and remarkable partnership.
“From the bitter divisions of 250 years ago, we forged a friendship that has grown into one of the most consequential alliances in human history.
“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 that we ignore the clarion calls to become ever more inward-looking.”
He finished his address, which lasted more than 28 minutes interspersed with clapping from the chamber, by saying: “To the United States of America, on your 250th birthday, let our two countries rededicate ourselves to each other in the selfless service of our peoples and of all the peoples of the world.
“God bless the United States and God bless the United Kingdom.”
Earlier, the monarch met with Donald Trump in the Oval Office, where the president praised the “special relationship” between America and the UK, adding “we hope it will always remain that way”.
The King and Queen were officially welcomed to the US by Trump with an unprecedented military ceremony on the lawn of the White House.
Charles and Camilla watched the display with President Trump and first lady Melania alongside a group of dignitaries and hundreds of spectators.
The royal couple arrived in Washington on Monday for the start of the four-day visit.
The King and US president had tea with their wives at the White House soon after the royals arrived and an image from the meeting showed the two men engrossed in conversation.
In a speech on the White House lawn, President Trump paid tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth, calling her a “very special woman”.
Of the relationship between the UK and the US, the president said: “We see today a living symbol of this centuries’ old bond.
“Just a few dozen feet to the left where I stand – there her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth, an incredible woman who I had the privilege of getting to know.
“Queen Elizabeth, the second, very, very special woman, who is very greatly missed on both sides of that mighty Atlantic, long ago planted a young tree.
“It was a very young and beautiful tree and look at it now.”
He added: “His Majesty’s intellect, passion and devotion have been long, really a long blessing, blessing to the British people, but not only to his own country, but to the cherished bond between the United States and the United Kingdom, and I am very certain that it will continue that way long into the future.”
With the so-called special relationship between the UK and US tested in recent months, following a war of words between Mr Trump and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer over the conflict in Iran, officials in Downing Street will be hoping the royal family’s soft power diplomacy can help heal the rift.
There seemed some indication of this when the president said: “In the centuries since we won our independence, Americans have had no closer friends than the British.
“We share that same root. We speak the same language. We hold the same values, and together, our warriors have defended the same extraordinary civilisation under twin banners of red, white and blue.”
Buckingham Palace said the King was “greatly touched by the warmth and generosity” of the Congress’s response to his speech.
A Palace spokesperson said: “The King was deeply honoured to have been invited to be the first British King to give such an address and was greatly touched by the warmth and generosity of the response he received.”
During the welcome ceremony, the King and Queen stood on a dais with the president and first lady as the UK and US national anthems were played by “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band.
Nearby, a 21-gun salute was fired in tribute to the royal guests by the Presidential Salute Battery.
