Charles will address a joint meeting of Congress tomorrow, becoming only the second British monarch to do so.
Congressional leaders invited Charles to share his vision “for the future of our special relationship and reaffirm our alliance at this pivotal time in history.” The king’s speech comes during the 250th anniversary of America’s independence from British rule.
Not that often. Charles will be only the second British monarch to address Congress, following in the footsteps of his mom, the late Queen Elizabeth II, who was the first and only British monarch to address Congress in 1991.
There have been 132 addresses to Congress by foreign leaders, but it is more rare for a monarch to do so. Most of those speeches have been by presidents and prime ministers.
Here are the 10 monarchs who have addressed Congress:
Dec. 18, 1874 — King Kalākaua of HawaiiApril 3, 1952 — Queen Juliana of the NetherlandsMay 12, 1959 — King Baudouin of BelgiumApril 28, 1960 — King Mahendra of NepalJune 29, 1960 — King Bhumibol Adulyadej of ThailandJune 2, 1976- King Juan Carlos I of SpainApril 21, 1982 — Queen Beatrix of the NetherlandsMay 16, 1991 — Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.July 26, 1994 — King Hussein of JordanMarch 7, 2007 — King Abdullah II of JordanWhat about other visits to the Capitol by British monarchs
Queen Elizabeth II also visited the Capitol in 1976 for the American bicentennial and attended a luncheon that Congress held for her in Statuary Hall. She did not give a formal address that year.
The king’s grandparents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, made history in 1939 as the first reigning British monarchs to set foot in the United States. That trip included a visit to the Capitol but not a speech.
What did Queen Elizabeth II’s address look like in 1991?
As the queen walked down the center aisle of a packed House chamber, members mostly refrained from reaching out to shake her hand as they usually do when presidents arrive for the State of the Union.
Elizabeth spoke for roughly 15 minutes and ended by saying “May God Bless America.”
The queen was allowed to wear a hat in the chamber, which was typically prohibited. Her husband, Prince Philip, was seated on the rostrum to follow royal etiquette, instead of in the gallery where the president’s spouse typically sits.
Elizabeth also faced protests by members of Congress. Several Irish-American lawmakers, including Rep. Joseph Kennedy II, D-Mass., boycotted her speech to protest the British policy in Northern Ireland,