{"id":17024,"date":"2026-04-30T11:07:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T11:07:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ugandaupdatenews.com\/?p=17024"},"modified":"2026-04-30T11:07:37","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T11:07:37","slug":"mission-accomplished-as-kings-speech-to-congress-goes-down-a-storm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/mission-accomplished-as-kings-speech-to-congress-goes-down-a-storm\/","title":{"rendered":"Mission accomplished as king\u2019s speech to Congress goes down a storm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A flick of Oscar Wilde here, a nod to Henry Kissinger there, a sprinkling of Charles Dickens here, a dollop of Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt there. Job done!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The British monarch mobilised an elite squad of dead white men, leavened with humour and subliminal politicking, on Tuesday in a charm offensive aimed over Donald Trump\u2019s head and squarely at the US Congress. Judging by the cheers and minute-long applause he received at the end, the soft power flex worked a treat and the special relationship lives to fight another day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the king\u2019s central message \u2013 of two great nations entwined in destiny \u2013 was also an inadvertent reminder of two empires that look increasingly shabby these days with rightwing populists on the march and the ghost of the child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein hovering in the shadows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charles became the first British king to address the Congress almost exactly 250 years after the US denounced his fifth great-grandfather as a tyrant and declared its independence. \u201cYou\u2019ll be back,\u201d predicted George III in Hamilton and yet cricket, damp and a lack of air conditioning never clinched the deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What would America\u2019s founding fathers have made of seeing George III\u2019s direct descendant speak to their successors? Donald Trump mused at the White House on Tuesday: \u201cThey might be absolutely shocked but probably only for a moment. Surely they would be delighted that the wounds of war healed into the most cherished friendship.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and co would surely be more shocked to discover that they now have their own mad king in the White House. If Charles spots signs saying \u201cNo kings\u201d on his travels, he shouldn\u2019t take it personally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/a>
A standing ovation for King Charles at the joint meeting of Congress in the House of Representatives. Photograph: Annabelle Gordon\/UPI\/Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The House of Representatives<\/a> chamber was chock-full for the king\u2019s speech. Vice-president JD Vance was applauded on his way in, followed by senators and cabinet members who took prime seats near the front.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At least some go weak-kneed at the whiff of royalty. At a British embassy garden party on Monday, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas gushingly introduced the king to his daughters. Maybe this explains why Republicans worship the wannabe monarch in the White House.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Others had a point to make. Adam Schiff of California posted on social media on Tuesday: \u201cWe have ignored and assailed the British to the point where we are at war with Iran, and without a friend to be found.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But entirely predictably, the name Iran never\u2019s passed Charles\u2019s 77-year-old lips. Nor did Israel, nor immigration, nor climate, nor a bunch of other hot potatoes in the Trump era. Instead the king delivered an exquisitely measured masterclass in less-is-more, emphasising common bonds that long predate Trump and \u2013 hopefully! \u2013 will long outlast him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wearing a blue suit and grey patterned tie, Charles, accompanied by Queen Camilla<\/a>, entered the chamber to rapturous applause at 3.06pm. It was the rarest sight and sound: Democrats and Republicans united, with Nancy Pelosi looking just as enthusiastic as John Thune. Even presidents don\u2019t get such a welcome when they come here to deliver the State of the Union address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Charles began by expressing gratitude to Congress and the American people for \u201cwelcoming us to the United States to mark this semiquincentennial year of the declaration of independence\u201d, the chamber erupted in cheers and a standing ovation on both the floor and in the public gallery \u2013 finally, here was a man who could make American feel good about themselves!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The king went on: \u201cAnd for all of that time, our destinies as nations have been interlinked. As Oscar Wilde said, \u2018We have really everything in common with America nowadays except, of course, language!\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"King<\/a>
King Charles quoted Oscar Wilde and Charles Dickens in his speech. Photograph: Jim Lo Scalzo\/EPA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There was deep, resonant laughter and Charles, with a wiggle of the eyebrows, looked pleased at how the quip had gone down. Moments later, he pushed the mirth button again with: \u201cThis is a city which symbolises a period in our shared history, or what Charles Dickens might have called A Tale of Two Georges.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You had to be there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKing George never set foot in America and, please rest assured, I am not here as part of some cunning rearguard action!\u201d Another laugh. He was on a roll!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charles said Magna Carta has been cited in at least 160 supreme court cases since 1789, \u201cnot least as the foundation of the principle that executive power is subject to checks and balances\u201d. A dig at Trump\u2019s authoritarian ambitions? Democrats did seem to applaud that one with special vim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And when the king characterised Congress as \u201cnot by the will of one, but by the deliberation of many\u201d, there was a shout of \u201cAll right!\u201d from the Democratic side of the house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charles continued to make some discreet political jabs. He said he had served with \u201cimmense pride\u201d in the Royal Navy \u2013 the same one that Trump has been disparaging lately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"King<\/a>
King Charles greets people after addressing members of the US House of Representatives and the US Senate. Photograph: Henry Nicholls\/PA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The king went on: \u201cIn the immediate aftermath of 9\/11, when Nato invoked article 5 for the first time, and the United Nations security council was united in the face of terror, we answered the call together.\u201d It did not take a giant leap of imagination to see this as gentle chiding of the Nato-bashing Trump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And when the monarch spoke of \u201cunyielding resolve needed for the defence of Ukraine and her most courageous people\u201d, the roar of approval in the chamber may have been jarring to the ears of the attendant Vance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charles is famously an environmentalist who talks to plants. We will never know if conversing with Trump reminded him of Audrey II, the man-eater from Little Shop of Horrors. But in his speech to Congress he did cite Teddy Roosevelt in speaking of the need to protect \u201cthe glorious heritage\u201d of America\u2019s natural splendour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mission accomplished, he departed the chamber with handshakes and smiles. Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown but, thanks to some canny speechwriting and a book of quotations, the king had hopefully made his point without triggering a fiery tirade from the mad monarch on Truth Social.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Editor:msserwanga@gmail.com<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A flick of Oscar Wilde here, a nod to Henry Kissinger there, a sprinkling of Charles Dickens here, a dollop<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17025,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[197],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17024","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-international-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/3508.avif","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":15041,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/former-kiboga-legislator-and-one-of-uganda-pioneer-women-politicians-rhoda-kalema-dead-at-96\/","url_meta":{"origin":17024,"position":0},"title":"Former Kiboga Legislator And One Of Uganda Pioneer Women Politicians Rhoda Kalema Dead At 96","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"August 3, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"By Lawrence Mayanjaone of Uganda\u2019s female educationist and former cabinet minister , Rhoda Kalema has died at the age of 96. 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He was 87.King hosted \"Larry King Live\" on CNN for over 25 years, interviewing presidential candidates, celebrities, athletes, movie stars and everyday people. 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He was born in Gulu District on October 21, 1928, to Rwot Lacito Okech and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "National News"","block_context":{"text":"National News","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/national-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/OIP.jpg","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5118,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/high-court-confirms-gabula-king-of-busoga\/","url_meta":{"origin":17024,"position":5},"title":"High Court Confirms Gabula King of Busoga","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"February 18, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"By Our Reporter in Jinja The High Court in Jinja has confirmed\u00a0His Royal Highness Gabula Nadiope IV, as the rightful king of Busoga.A contender for the throne Columbus Wambuzi has since 2014 been trying to unseat Gabula and filed a petition in the Jinja High Court challenging the king's election,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Breaking News"","block_context":{"text":"Breaking News","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/breaking-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/kya.jpg","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/kya.jpg 1x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/kya.jpg 1.5x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/kya.jpg 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pc0aOV-4qA","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17024","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17024"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17024\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17026,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17024\/revisions\/17026"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17025"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17024"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17024"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17024"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}