King Charles Will Do as His Mother Did Before Congress

King Charles III is set to do something no British monarch has done in more than three decades: speak to a joint meeting of Congress. Congressional leaders announced Wednesday that the king will address lawmakers on April 28 during his first state visit to the United States as monarch, a four-day trip running April 27–30, reports CBS News. "I look forward to spending time with the King, whom I greatly respect. It will be TERRIFIC!" Trump wrote Tuesday on Truth Social.

In a formal invitation, the top four congressional leaders called the speech a chance for Charles to "share your vision for the future of our special relationship and reaffirm our alliance at this pivotal time in history." The letter cited Queen Elizabeth II's 1991 address, in which she spoke of a "shared 'spirit of democracy.'" The Washington Post notes just two foreign leaders spoke before joint meetings of Congress during President Trump's first term: French President Emmanuel Macron in 2018 and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in 2019.