King Charles III addressed a joint session of Congress on Tuesday (April 28).
The king expressed solidarity with the United States, bringing “the highest regard and friendship of the British people to the people of the United States.” As he noted, our “democratic, legal and social traditions” stretch back to Magna Carta, showing that “time and again, our two countries have always found ways to come together.” He added that our defense and military alliance is “measured not in years but in decades.”
Balancing act
The king also stated that “for many here — and for myself — the Christian faith is a firm anchor and daily inspiration that guides us not only personally, but together as members of our community.” He then spoke to our shared duty to “value all people, of all faiths and of none.”
His remarks illustrated the balancing act a British monarch must perform daily. On one hand, he is the sovereign of the United Kingdom, the leader in whose name the government is formed and acts. On the other hand, he is constitutionally bound to remain above politics. His role is to represent the United Kingdom rather than to speak for its government. The monarch often gives political and practical advice to prime ministers and other leaders, but always in private.
As the English poet Tennyson once noted, Britain is a “crowned Republic,” one in which the monarch reigns but does not rule.
Full story.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was originally published by Denison Forum.
