How to watch King Charles III’s historic address to Congress live
America has a big milestone birthday this year, 250 to be exact. What better way to mark the occasion than to have the monarchy we declared independence from over to celebrate?
This week, King Charles III and Queen Camilla began a four-day state visit to the United States.
Today (Tuesday, April 28, at 3 p.m. ET), Charles will address a joint meeting of Congress. Before we get into how to tune in, let’s take a look at the jam-packed schedule for the visit, what’s at stake, and the historical precedent.
What is Charles and Camilla’s schedule?
The king and queen hit the ground running on Monday. They had tea with President Trump and the First Lady Melania at the White House. They also checked out the beehives.
Later that same afternoon, they attended a garden party at the British ambassador’s home in Washington, D.C.
Tuesday is equally as busy. In the morning, Charles and Trump will have a private meeting. While this is going on the Queen and the First Lady will attend an educational event.
After this, King Charles will address a joint meeting of Congress. (See how to watch below.) Tuesday evening, an official state dinner will be held with the King and Queen as guests of honor.
Start spreading the news: On Wednesday, the royals will be in New York City. It is expected they will visit the 9/11 memorial and meet with first responders and families impacted by this tragic event.
On Thursday, to conclude their trip, the royals will travel to Virginia and take in a national park. That same day, they will leave the U.S. and travel to Bermuda, a member of the U.K. Commonwealth.
Why is King Charles and Queen Camilla’s visit important?
The official reason for the state visit is to celebrate the bond between America and the United Kingdom.
The relationship between the two countries is unique, evolving out of independence. It grew close as America came into its own becoming a super power in its own right, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t seen many ups and downs over the years.
Tensions are elevated because of America’s war in Iran, which many NATO members oppose.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Trump are not exactly seeing eye to eye at the moment. King Charles’s position as monarch is not a political one, but his ceremonial duties have the power to smooth over rough edges diplomatically.
Has a British monarch ever addressed Congress before?
As is often the case in King Charles’s reign, his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, did it before him.
Charles will become the second British monarch to address Congress. Queen Elizabeth spoke in 1991 when George H.W. Bush was president. She had much more ideal circumstances. Bush’s approval numbers were high after the Gulf War. Bush and then-British Prime Minister John Major got along just fine.
Despite the current political climate, the king has a lifetime of experience to draw from.
He first traveled to the United States in 1970 when he was 21. Since then he has made at least 18 additional trips. This visit marks the first time Charles has traveled to the United States since becoming king.
How can I watch King Charles III’s address to Congress?
According to C-SPAN, Charles’s address is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. ET.
The official free cable network of Congress is the best way to see the speech in its entirety.
Because of its historic nature, networks such as MSNBC, CNN, ABC, CBS, and NBC are sure to cover at least part of the speech, but it could be just highlights or clips during regularly scheduled newscasts.