Get you up to speed: King Charles recognises ‘victims of wrongs’ post-Epstein scandal in speech
King Charles III urged collaboration between the UK and US to support sexual abuse victims while addressing Congress amidst the backdrop of ongoing legal issues and political tensions.
King Charles III emphasised the necessity for UK and US collaboration in addressing global challenges, urging the importance of standing united against violence and fostering peace.
King Charles III’s address to Congress emphasised the importance of unity against violence while responding to recent political tensions in the United States.
What we know so far
King Charles III addressed a Joint Meeting of Congress on April 28, 2026, emphasising the importance of supporting victims of sexual abuse in light of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. His remarks come amid calls for the monarch and Queen Camilla to meet survivors during their visit to the US.
In his speech, the King stated: “In both of our countries, it is the very fact of our vibrant, diverse and free societies that gives us our collective strength, including to support victims of some of the ills that, so tragically, exist in both our societies today.” This statement, while not directly mentioning Epstein, is seen as an indirect acknowledgment of the situation.
The royal couple’s decision to forgo meetings with survivors is reportedly linked to ongoing legal matters, including the arrest of Prince Andrew. The King further urged solidarity among nations, warning against isolationism and advocating for continued support for Ukraine.
His speech was well-received, eliciting applause and laughter from congressional members, although some Republicans notably abstained from applauding during his comments on Ukraine. The King concluded by reinforcing the UK-US partnership, describing it as a bond that has historically weathered disputes.
Read in full
King Charles acknowledges ‘victims of ills’ after Epstein scandal in Congress speech | News UK
The King said the US and the UK must support victims of sexual abuse in the wake of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal during a historic speech to Congress.
Charles and the Queen have faced calls to meet survivors of paedophile Epstein during their stay in the US, but are not doing so because of ongoing legal cases, including the arrest of the King’s brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
Without referring to Epstein directly, the King said: ‘In both of our countries, it is the very fact of our vibrant, diverse and free societies that gives us our collective strength, including to support victims of some of the ills that, so tragically, exist in both our societies today.’
It was unclear if the carefully-worded remarks were meant to be an oblique acknowledgement of sexual abuse victims in the wake of the Epstein scandal.
US Representative Ro Khanna had said ahead of the speech he was told by the British ambassador that the king would speak to Epstein in his remarks before Congress.
Sign up for all of the latest stories
The King told Trump to reject isolationism, embrace NATO, back Ukraine and help fight climate change.
He said: ‘The challenges we face are too great for any one nation to bear alone… I pray with all my heart that our Alliance will continue to defend our shared values, with our partners in Europe and the Commonwealth, and across the world, and that we ignore the clarion calls to become ever more inward-looking.’
Charles received applause and cheers when he described America’s Founding Fathers as ‘bold and imaginative rebels with a cause’ and made the Senators and Members of the House of Representatives burst into laughter when he added: ‘Two hundred and fifty years ago – or, as we say in the United Kingdom, just the other day – they declared Independence.’
The King referred to his Christian faith and lifelong focus on interfaith understanding, adding: ‘It is why it is my hope – my prayer – that, in these turbulent times, working together and with our international partners, we can stem the beating of ploughshares into swords.’
Charles, whose visit takes place against the backdrop of the Iran war, also stressed the importance of peace.
‘I believe with all my heart, that the essence of our two nations is a generosity of spirit and a duty to foster compassion, to promote peace,’ the King said.
The King, in reference to the attempted assassination of Donald Trump at a Washington media dinner just days ago, said: ‘We meet, too, in the aftermath of the incident not far from this great building that sought to harm the leadership of your nation and to foment wider fear and discord.
‘Let me say with unshakeable resolve: such acts of violence will never succeed.
‘Whatever our differences, whatever disagreements we may have, we stand united in our commitment to uphold democracy, to protect all our people from harm, and to salute the courage of those who daily risk their lives in the service of our countries.’
The King said the UK and US had ‘always found ways to come together’.
Charles said: ‘With the Spirit of 1776 in our minds, we can perhaps agree that we do not always agree – at least in the first instance.’
He added: ‘Ours is a partnership born out of dispute, but no less strong for it… So perhaps, in this example, we can discern that our Nations are in fact instinctively like-minded – a product of the common democratic, legal and social traditions in which our governance is rooted to this day.
‘Drawing on these values and traditions, time and again, our two countries have always found ways to come together.
‘And by Jove, Mr Speaker, when we have found that way to agree, what great change is brought about – not just for the benefit of our peoples, but of all peoples. This, I believe, is the special ingredient in our Relationship.’
He quoted President Donald Trump’s remarks on his state visit to the UK last September when Mr Trump called the bond between the two nations ‘irreplaceable and unbreakable’.
The King’s speech sparked laughter, applause, standing ovations and even a whoop of approval from members of Congress.
But notably, when the monarch called for the same ‘unyielding resolve’ to be shown for Ukraine as that in the wake of the 9/11 attacks a number of members on the Republican side of the chamber did not rise to their feet with others and clap.