FULL REMARKS: King Charles Jokes “You’d Be Speaking French” in Speech with Trump at Dinner — AC1G

[0:40] Mr. President, First Lady, my wife and I are most grateful to you for your generous hospitality [0:48] as the United States celebrates this very special anniversary year of the Declaration of Independence. [0:56] And may I also just start by paying tribute to your own courage and steadfastness, [1:03] as well as to your security services, for their swift actions on Saturday evening in preventing further injury. [1:14] My thoughts and sympathies are very much with you, the First Lady, and all those guests for whom this must have been a very upsetting incident. [1:33] As the words of that famous anthem remind us, this is the land of the free and home of the brave, as your own response demonstrates. [1:44] What used to be called in the last war in the United Kingdom, keep calm and carry on. [1:51] I now realise, ladies and gentlemen, to my amazement, that my first visit to this remarkable country was over 50 years ago. [2:04] And, Mr. President, the golden threads of history and heritage between our lands are also embodied, [2:10] as you mentioned earlier today, in your own family and your own family's story, whose roots trace back to the beautiful landscapes of Britain's outer Hebrides [2:21] and continue, as we know, in the great golf courses of the highlands. [2:28] I can only imagine the immense pride with which your own dear mother, indeed both your parents, [2:37] must be looking down on the great office to which you have been elected for a historic second term. [2:44] And, if I may say so, it is a particular pleasure to be back in this wonderful building, the heart of your democracy. [2:54] On this occasion, I cannot help noticing the readjustments to the East Wing, Mr. President, [3:02] following your visit to Windsor Castle last year. [3:06] And, I'm sorry to say that we, British, of course, made our own small attempt at real estate redevelopment of the White House in 1814. [3:16] Anyway, I am so glad we have an opportunity, an important opportunity, at this critical time, [3:29] to renew those bonds of history and friendship between our nations and our peoples. [3:34] Two and a half centuries ago, the United States of America was founded through an audacious and visionary act of self-determination. [3:45] From the beginning, the American character has been defined by courage, tenacity and the spirit of adventure. [3:54] As the direct descendant of King George III, I know this is a nation that never gives up. [4:01] And, my family's history remains reflected in your maps, which read, rather like our Christmas card list, across the ages. [4:12] North and South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and the cities of Charleston, a particular favourite of mine, obviously. [4:24] Er, Georgetown, and for that matter, Georgia, Annapolis, as you mentioned, and further favourites, Prince William County and Williamsburg. [4:37] This said, our French friends can feel equally at home with a glance at a map. [4:46] Indeed, you recently commented, Mr. President, that if it were not for the United States, European countries would be speaking German. [4:53] Dare I say that if it wasn't for us, you'd be speaking French. [4:58] Of course, we both love our French cousins greatly, and we three estates are not only bound by our shared values, [5:19] but by a profound belief that together we are more than the sum of our parts. [5:25] Out of the fires of a bitter and bloody revolutionary war, the triumph of the father of this country, George Washington, [5:31] and his fellow founders, was to forge a democracy founded upon the rights to liberty and the rule of law. [5:40] The story of Britain and America is one of reconciliation, from adversaries to the closest of allies, [5:49] not always perhaps following the straightest path. [5:53] As you said yourself, Mr. President, during your own state visit at Windsor Castle last year, [5:57] ours is an unbreakable bond of history and heritage, culture and commerce, industry and invention, [6:05] and we are determined to face the future together. [6:10] Tonight, we are here to renew an indispensable alliance, [6:14] which has long been a cornerstone of prosperity and security for both British and American citizens. [6:21] Our people have fought and fallen together in defence of the values we cherish across the ocean, [6:30] and from coast to coast, we have traded, innovated and created together. [6:37] We have stood together through the best and worst of times. [6:42] However, the challenges we now face from those who wish us harm across the world, [6:47] to balancing the risks and opportunities of powerful new technologies, [6:52] to the threats to the very international rules that have allowed us to trade [6:56] and have kept power in balance for 80 years, [6:59] those challenges encourage us to reaffirm tonight the basis on which our partnership has been built. [7:07] And yes, we have had our moments of difficulty, even in more recent history. [7:12] When my mother visited in 1957, not the least of her tasks was to help put the special back [7:20] into our relationship after a crisis in the Middle East. [7:25] Nearly 70 years on, it is hard to imagine anything like that happening today. [7:30] But it is not hard to see how important the relationship remains in matters both seen and unseen. [7:40] My mother's first Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill, understood this so well. [7:45] But then he himself was half American, a tradition of shared transatlantic heritage, [7:52] which I am pleased to say is alive and well in the White House today. [7:56] Indeed, such was the closeness that Sir Winston, while staying here in the White House, [8:02] in those rooms you showed us upstairs, emerged naked from the bathtub [8:07] to discover the door opening as President Roosevelt came in for a chat. [8:12] With rapier wit, the President cast aside any embarrassment by declaring that [8:20] the Prime Minister has nothing to conceal from the President of the United States. [8:25] This warmth came after testing times between our leaders in the early 1940s. [8:35] The kinship and friendship of many centuries provided great reassurance to my late grandfather, [8:41] King George VI, as he did to my late mother. [8:46] It means every bit as much to me. [8:50] Of course, my late mother met me fewer than 13 serving presidents. [8:55] Thankfully, all of them fully clothed. [8:56] The first President I had the honour of meeting at the age of 10 in 1959 when he came to Balmoral [9:05] was President Eisenhower, who had served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces [9:10] during World War II at a most critical time in the darkest days of the 20th century. [9:18] American leadership helped rebuild a shattered continent playing a decisive role as a defender of freedom in Europe. [9:27] We and I shall never forget that, nor least, not least as freedom is again under attack following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. [9:39] Today, our partnerships in NATO and AUKUS deepen our technological and military cooperation [9:46] and ensure that together we can meet the challenges of an increasingly complex and contested world. [9:54] And speaking of submarine alliances, there was one particular AUKUS predecessor, [10:01] launched from a UK shipyard in 1944, [10:05] that served for the majority of her life attached to the 4th submarine squadron in Australia, [10:14] playing a critical role during the war in the Pacific. [10:19] Her name? HMS Trump. [10:24] So tonight, Mr. President, I am delighted to present to you as a personal gift [10:28] The original bell, which hung on the conning tower of your valiant namesake, [10:39] may it stand as a testimony to our nation's shared history and shining future. [10:48] And should you ever need to get hold of us, or just give us a ring? [10:52] For 250 years, the ingenuity and the imagination of the people of the United States [11:12] have been an inspiration to the world. [11:15] This land of opportunity has nourished some of humanity's greatest minds, [11:20] from the industrial age to the space age. [11:22] So many miracles of the modern world have been and still are invented in America. [11:27] Indeed, we have followed the voyage of Artemis II, [11:30] or Artemis II, as my family and I might like to call her, [11:33] with close attention. [11:37] Now, I know you have big plans for the moon, Mr. President, [11:40] but I have actually checked the papers, [11:43] and I rather suspect it is already part of the Commonwealth, I'm afraid. [11:48] Ladies and gentlemen, on this visit, on this week's visit, [11:51] I look forward to meeting the people and communities of this dynamic country, [11:56] including celebrating some of the work of my King's Trust, [12:00] which it has been doing in these communities, [12:02] helping give young people the chance to succeed across America [12:07] in this year when we mark 50 years of the Trust. [12:10] Can you believe it? [12:12] Every year, millions of Britons journey to this remarkable country [12:16] to experience its glorious national parks, [12:19] soaring mountains and ancient forests, [12:22] from the peaks of the Pacific Northwest [12:23] to the rugged shores of the Atlantic, [12:26] from the vast expanses of the West [12:28] to the sweeping prairies and canyons, [12:30] as the natural beauty of this land is found in every corner. [12:34] And in sport, in just a few weeks, [12:38] the United States and Canada [12:40] will be among those to welcome the world [12:42] as hosts of the FIFA World Cup. [12:45] So in one sense, Mr. President, [12:47] as heads of state, we are joint hosts. [12:51] We call this game, by the way, football, [12:54] Mr. President. [12:55] And I can only say, as the head of state [12:58] of five competing countries, [13:00] I will be watching the matches closely [13:02] and with great enthusiasm. [13:04] After all, we always like favourable odds. [13:07] So this city, Washington, D.C., [13:09] is the home of more Shakespeare folios [13:11] than anywhere in the world. [13:14] 82 copies are carefully preserved [13:16] and shared at the Folger Library. [13:19] And at this time, [13:19] when the search for peace in the world [13:21] is more critical than ever, [13:23] I can only turn to Shakespeare's genius [13:25] to remind us of the plea for peace [13:28] spoken by the Duke of Burgundy [13:30] at the conclusion of Henry V. [13:34] My speech entreats [13:34] that I may know [13:36] why gentle peace should not bless us [13:40] with her former qualities. [13:43] Thank you, Mr. President and Mrs. Trump, [13:46] for your splendid dinner this evening, [13:48] which, may I say, [13:50] is a very considerable improvement [13:52] on the Boston Tea Party. [13:55] So whether your cup contains tea, [13:59] wine, Scotch whisky, bourbon, [14:02] or even cola, [14:04] let us raise our glasses and voices [14:06] as we toast the past, [14:09] the present, [14:10] and the future, [14:11] thank you, [14:14] of our two proud and allied nations. [14:17] To the United States [14:18] and the United Kingdom, [14:20] God bless both our countries. [14:22] Thank you very much. [14:27] Thank you.