Prior to the event, Trump was delighted by a British media report suggesting he has a royal connection.
According to an article in the Daily Mail, the presidentâs Scottish ancestry allegedly links him to the current monarch, prompting Trump to jest about possibly residing in the iconic home of the British royal family.
âIâve always dreamed of living in Buckingham Palace! Iâll discuss this with the King and Queen shortly! President DJT,â he quipped.
Today marks a historic moment as Charles becomes the first British monarch since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 to address the US Congress. His motherâs speech emphasized the historical ties and democratic values shared by both nations, a message Charles is expected to echo.
These addresses are a privilege reserved for influential global figures like Pope Francis, VĂĄclav Havel, and Winston Churchill.
This will likely be Charlesâs most significant public statement during his four-day visit to the United States, aligning with the celebration of Americaâs 250th anniversary of independence from Britain.
House Speaker Mike Johnson became the first sitting leader of his chamber to address the UK parliament earlier this year. He attended a garden party with the king in Washington on Monday and said he told him he would be âwell receivedâ in Congress.
Under grey, drizzly skies, Trump quipped that it was a âbeautiful British dayâ. The king shook hands with members of Trumpâs Cabinet and joined the president for a rendition of the national anthem.
In his welcome remarks, Trump highlighted the shared history between the two countries and sought to draw a line from King Johnâs sealing of the Magna Carta in 1215 to the American Revolution.
âAmerican patriots today can sing, âMy country, âtis of thee, sweet land of liberty,â only because our colonial ancestors first sang, âGod save the King,ââ Trump said.
The two leaders huddled in the Oval Office for a meeting that was closed to the public, reducing the potential for the freewheeling, sometimes controversial meetings with foreign officials that have become routine during Trumpâs second term.
Given the expressly apolitical nature of the British monarch and Trumpâs fondness for the royal family, the likelihood of an awkward meeting was likely reduced anyway.
Afterward, Trump said it was a âreally good meetingâ and Charles is a âfantastic personâ.
While the gentlemen met, the ladies attend a cross-cultural educational event at the White House Tennis Pavilion.
Trump will host the royal couple on Tuesday evening for a state banquet at the White House.
The visit comes at a challenging moment for US-UK relations. Trumpâs up-and-down relationship with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has taken a particularly sour turn over the past several months as the Republican president has sought to rally international support for the war in Iran.
Trump criticised Starmer, who has largely resisted his overtures, by saying âthis is not Winston Churchill that weâre dealing withâ.
Trump has also imposed tariffs on the UK and warned of additional levies despite a Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that has made such unilateral moves more challenging.
Trump threatened just last week to slap a âbig tariffâ on the UK if it doesnât scrap a digital services tax on US technology companies.
Meanwhile, Charles has faced some calls on Capitol Hill to meet with victims of Jeffrey Epstein while he is in the US.
Thereâs no indication that he will do so even as the scandal involving the convicted sex offender has ensnared his brother, who was arrested in February over misconduct allegations, which he denies.
Charles and Camilla arrived at the nationâs capital on Monday and held a tea with the president and first lady Melania Trump. The royal couple will continue their US trip later this week with stops in New York City and Virginia.
â Reported with Associated Press.
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