King Charles III on Tuesday called on the United States and Britain to renew their long-standing transatlantic alliance in a speech at a White House dinner hosted by President Donald Trump amid tensions over Iran and Ukraine.Speaking with Trump for the first time during his four-day state visit, Charles made no direct mention of the rift between the US leader and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.But as in his rare address to Congress earlier in the day, the British monarch highlighted a partnership in which London and Washington “stand together in the best of times and the worst of times.”Charles said, “Tonight, we are here to renew an indispensable alliance that has long been the cornerstone of prosperity and security for both British and American citizens.”The lavish dinner menu included a Garden Vegetable Velouté, Spring Herbed Ravioli and Dover Sol Meunier, followed by a White House Honey and Vanilla Bean Cremex. Invited guests included Apple boss Tim Cook, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and two-time Masters-winning golfer Rory McIlroy, who was born in Northern Ireland.Earlier in Congress, Charles urged the United States to stand firm with its Western allies in a warmly received speech Tuesday.As the royal family arrived for dinner, Trump also praised the “great speech” and said he was “very jealous” — even though Charles discussed sensitive topics like climate change and the importance of NATO and the need for limits on presidential power to defend Ukraine.Addressing lawmakers during celebrations of 250 years of US independence, Charles stressed that “unwavering resolve” is needed to secure a “just and lasting peace” in Ukraine, which has been fighting a full-scale invasion by Russia since 2022.Earlier, Trump praised Britain, calling it America’s closest ally and welcomed Charles and Queen Camilla to the White House on a four-day state visit.‘No close friends’ Speaking after a rousing reception that included a 21-gun salute on the South Lawn, Trump struck a much warmer tone than his recent criticism of Starmer.Trump praised the “special relationship” and military partnership of the two countries, saying, “In the centuries since we won our independence, Americans have never had a closer friend than the British.”Charles shook hands with top Trump administration officials and inspected troops on the lawn with the president before a military band played the British and US national anthems and cannon shots. After this, four American jets flew noisily over the White House in view of Trump, Charles, Camilla and First Lady Melania Trump.The visit comes at a delicate moment, with Trump criticizing Britain’s stance on Iran and other policies.Despite the tension, the US President jokingly joked about his Scottish-born mother having a “crush on Charles” ahead of the conversation in the Oval Office.“He’s a fantastic guy. They’re incredible people and it’s a real honor,” Trump told reporters after the meeting.‘checks and balances’The king’s address to Congress – the first by a British monarch since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 – was the centerpiece of the visit.Charles pointed to shared democratic traditions, calling Congress the “bastion of democracy” and emphasizing the two countries’ common legal roots.Magna Carta has been cited in more than 160 U.S. Supreme Court cases, he said, drawing applause from opposition Democrats as it highlights the principle that executive power is subject to checks and balances.The monarch also stressed deeper defense and economic ties and said cooperation in security, technology and trade is central to the alliance.“Our defence, intelligence and security ties are strong together,” he said.Security has been tightened during the trip following an alleged assassination attempt against Trump at a weekend Washington media event.Charles said, “Such acts of violence will never succeed.”The royal couple will attend a state dinner later on Tuesday, which will include a ceremonial tour mixed with sensitive diplomacy.
