“Executive power is subject to checks and balances.”

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– King Charles III

April 28, 2026

 

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In his speech to a joint session of Congress, His Majesty King Charles III of the United Kingdom gave a wonderful speech filled with thoughts we haven't heard in entirely too long. He reminded us that both Britain and the United States were founded on the same principles for establishing and maintaining a democracy, including belief in God.

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He gave an interesting fact that his team researched: The United States Supreme Court has cited the British Magna Carta of 1215 no fewer than 160 times when rendering their decisions. The Magna Carta was (and is) their bill of rights, which in turn led to our establishing our own Bill of Rights; that is, the first ten amendments to the Constitution, which ensure freedom of speech and the freedom to worship as one chooses, among other freedoms.

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All in all – after saying our two countries should help the Ukraine, protect the global climate, and work together to resolve other areas of concern – His Majesty said the United States and the United Kingdom should work together as the allies we have been since the two world wars of the twentieth century, instead of allowing ourselves to turn to isolationism.

  

I might add, as the English poet and cleric John Donne wrote,

 

“No man is an island,

Entire of itself.”

 

Nor is any country. We need our friends and allies if we are to survive in the current hostile world. At the same time, we need to ensure that the three branches of government – executive, legislative, and judicial – hold each other accountable under the system of checks and balances that the Constitution requires. Similarly – and this is not spelled out in the Constitution, although it needs to be given serious consideration – the legislative branch needs to ensure that they don’t become so true to one party that they cannot compromise when the need to do so arises.

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I wish His Majesty could come every week and give this country a good pep talk. Goodness knows we need it.

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Thank you, Your Majesty.

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