Britain’s King Charles III called on the United States and the United Kingdom to support victims of sex trafficking during a historic address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, drawing a standing ovation from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Some speculate the comments are connected to investigations surrounding Jeffrey Epstein.
The king stopped short of naming Epstein directly but left little doubt about the reference, given the ongoing legal fallout from Epstein’s network and the recent arrest of Charles’s own brother, Prince Andrew.
“In both of our countries, it is the very fact of our vibrant, diverse and free societies that give us our collective strength, including to support victims of some ills that, so tragically, exist in both our societies today,” the king told the assembled chamber.
The remarks came during a state visit marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the first time a British monarch has addressed Congress since 1939, when King George VI visited ahead of World War II.
King Charles said Christianity shaped how he views the need for accountability. “Having devoted a large part of my life to interfaith relationships and greater understanding, it is that faith in the triumph of light over darkness which I have found confirmed countless times,” he said.
The king’s comments carry particular weight given his own family’s direct exposure to the Epstein scandal. He stripped his younger brother, Prince Andrew, of his royal titles and patronages over ties to Epstein that first surfaced years ago. In February, Andrew was arrested and charged with misconduct in public office stemming from those same connections. He remains under investigation. He said Tuesday he has “the deepest concern” about his brother’s alleged conduct and called for “a full, fair and proper” investigation to proceed.
The address drew bipartisan applause throughout, though the Epstein passage prompted one of the longest sustained ovations of the speech. Republican and Democratic lawmakers rose together as the king spoke those lines.
Trump welcomed King Charles and Queen Camilla to the White House earlier in the day with an honor guard and remarks celebrating the shared heritage of the two nations. “The two most exceptional nations the world has ever known,” Trump said at the arrival ceremony on the South Lawn. He linked American founding principles directly to British traditions of liberty, calling the Revolutionary generation “heirs to this majestic inheritance.”
The state visit is scheduled to run through Thursday. Charles is set to meet with members of the House and Senate before departing.
