Three things from King Charles' speech at the US Capitol

King Charles III was warmly welcomed as he gave an important speech to a group of American politicians on Tuesday.

His speech to the US Congress - which is the part of the US government that makes laws - was made during his state visit with Queen Camilla to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence.

During his speech, the King spoke about friendship and common ground between the two countries and the long-standing "special relationship" between the US and the UK.

King Charles thanked everyone for welcoming him for his state visit in the year of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

This was signed in 1776 after the American Revolution and meant that the states of America were no longer under British control.

The King told Congress that while the relationship with the UK and the US was "a partnership born out of dispute", the nations were "no less strong for it" and they "are instinctively like-minded".

He added that the relationship between the US and the UK was "truly unique".

"I believe that with all my heart the essence of our two nations is a generosity of spirit and a duty to foster compassion, to promote peace, to deepen mutual understanding and to value all people, of all faiths, and of none," he said.

The King also added that while the world is facing challenges at the moment, "our shared values prevail".

There have been question marks over the relationship between the US and UK in recent months, after President Trump criticised UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer for not getting involved in the US-Israel war with Iran.

King Charles noted that "we meet in times of great uncertainty, in times of conflict from Europe to the Middle East which pose immense challenges" for both the US and the UK.

The King said the challenges we face are "too great for any one nation to bear alone".

"But in this unpredictable environment, our alliance cannot rest on past achievements or assume that foundational principles simply endure."

"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."

King Charles' love for nature also featured in his speech.

President Trump has previously called climate change a "hoax", but the King warned that protecting nature was crucial to the world's future.

He said: "As we look toward the next 250 years, we must also reflect on our shared responsibility to safeguard nature, our most precious and irreplaceable asset.

"Even as we celebrate the beauty that surrounds us, our generation must decide how to address the collapse of critical natural systems, which threatens far more than the harmony and essential diversity of nature.

"We ignore at our peril the fact that these natural systems – in other words, nature's own economy – provide the foundation for our prosperity and our national security."

David Manning, a former British ambassador to the US, told the BBC that it's a "very good thing" this royal visit was able to go ahead in light of the "strained relationship" at present between London and Washington.

He said it allowed the King to "deliver key messages in an excellently crafted speech".

But this state visit has also faced some criticism, including from some politicians, who called for it to be cancelled, describing the US president as "unreliable".