King Charles III politely schooled President Donald Trump with a history lesson during his address at the White House on Tuesday night.
At a state dinner held in his honor, Charles spoke about the way the histories of the U.K. and the U.S. are intertwined thanks to the actions of his forefathers. He repeatedly used the history of the two allies to plead his case for a united pairing in the present.
“As the direct descendant of King George III, I know this is a nation that never gives up,” Charles, 77, said, referring to the king who was on the throne at the time of the American War of Independence.
He continued by naming examples of how his family’s history is reflected in American maps, including in the names of the Carolinas, Virginia, Georgia, and Maryland.
“This said, our French friends can feel equally at home with a glance at a map,” he added, before offering the president a more direct history lesson.
“Indeed, you recently commented, Mr. President, that if it were not for the United States, European countries would be speaking German.”
The monarch was referencing comments made by Trump during his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in January.
Repeating a claim Europeans have heard countless times before, Trump told the audience, “Without us, right now you’d all be speaking German, and a little Japanese, perhaps,” a reference to U.S. involvement in World War II.
Returning fire on Tuesday night, Charles told Trump, “Dare I say that if it wasn’t for us, you’d be speaking French,” a reference to the battle for dominance between Britain and France prior to American independence.
Trump smiled and exchanged words with Melania, who was also smiling, before turning back to look at the audience with the same expression on his face.
The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment.
Charles continued to discuss the importance of historical ties in his address, noting that, “The story of Britain and America is one of reconciliation from adversaries to the closest of allies, not always perhaps following the straightest path.”
Hours earlier, the king delivered an address to a joint session of Congress in which he appeared to sharply rebuke Trump’s treatment of allies like the U.K.
“From the bitter divisions of 250 years ago, we forged a friendship that has grown into one of the most consequential alliances in human history,” Charles said.
“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,” he continued, adding, “And that we ignore the clarion calls to become ever more inward-looking.”
The monarch also stressed the importance of NATO as an alliance, after the president has spent months insulting allies and bemoaning their lack of support for his war in Iran.
“In the immediate aftermath of 9/11, when NATO invoked Article 5 for the first time, and the United Nations Security Council was united in the face of terror, we answered the call together—as our people have done so for more than a century, shoulder to shoulder, through two World Wars, the Cold War, Afghanistan and moments that have defined our shared security,” Charles said on Tuesday afternoon.
Speaking at the state dinner, Charles reminded those in attendance that the purpose of his visit was to “ renew an indispensable alliance which has long been a cornerstone of prosperity and security for both British and American citizens.”
“Our people have fought and fallen together in defense of the values we cherish across the ocean and from coast to coast,” he said. “We have traded, innovated and created together. We’ve stood together through the best and worst of times.”
Referencing challenges posed from “those who wish us harm” to “balancing the risks and opportunities of powerful new technologies” and “the threats to the very international rules” that have governed international relations and kept power in balance for 80 years, the king said that, “those challenges encourage us to reaffirm tonight the basis on which our partnership has been built.”
He ended his speech with a line from William Shakespeare’s Henry V, quoting the Duke of Burgundy and telling the room, “My speech entreats that I may know why gentle peace should not bless us with her former qualities.”
