President Clinton ~ Overview of the King's Address to the Combined Congress 2026
Speeches
Address by King Charles III to Congress 2026
President Clinton’s Review
President Bill Clinton’s reflection upon the Address by King Charles III to Congress 28 April 2026
This YouTube clip is a recording by President Clinton. It is just 21:12 minutes long. I do hope you both have a chance to relax awhile and listen to it. Pretend it’s the radio.
The President gives a highly balanced and impartial overview, giving credit to the present incumbent when warranted. He warns his listeners too, about not taking too literally the following morning’s newspaper headlines that speak of President destroyed by King etc, etc.
We live in fearful times. As I’ve said before ~ the 1937-1939 period of our grandparents’ lives. I believe we will come through this without a global war but at what cost I do not know.
As children we still had the last vestiges of greatness - what can I do as my duty to my country. This certainly was why my father and I joined the police force. It is why I followed in my parents’ brothers’ steps and took the Queens Commission into the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (peacetime) for service with what was then still a very large Air Training Corps of 33,000 personnel ~ unimaginable today.
Today, too often I read, see and am even told by the two generations born between 1990-2026 … what can my country do for me and for free?!
The old world has gone. That is fine.
But when we pour out dirty water, we also pour out that which held the mortar together. It is why I’ve always emphasised the importance that we must repoint the bricks every year.
We have not repointed the bricks now since the Falklands War.
These are dangerous times. I’m glad to read that my nieces are emphasising the need for their children to read the printed word, striking a balance with how to also dovetail the wonders of technology. As you mentioned last month, there are instances of tots trying to phone swipe a printed book. It reminds me of the problem some have had of not being able to work out how to dial a telephone number using the twentieth century circular dial. This happens of course in every generation in every century.
Thus, the King‘s Address to the Combined Congress is a watershed moment.
How strange! Imagine the understandable and disbelieving consternation of the Founding Fathers - having successfully ejected King George III in 1776 - being told that because of the erosion of their Constitution, it would require that king’s direct descendant in 2026 to come to the USA to address their Congress, to touch the rudder to get them all back on course.
Do please listen to President Clinton‘s address.
Here is the voice and wisdom of an era we took for granted and which has long gone.
The Banner Image is by the kind courtesy of the Library of Congress
@libraryofcongress via Unsplash through Squarespace
and to which Library all rights are reserved.
1 May 2026
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Gloucestershire and Liverpool
© 2026 Kenneth Thomas Webb
