00:00250 years ago, or as we say in the United Kingdom, just the other day,
00:13they declared independence.
00:16By balancing contending forces and drawing strength in diversity,
00:22they united 13 disparate colonies
00:25to forge a nation on the revolutionary idea of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
00:33As Oscar Wilde said, we have really everything in common with America nowadays,
00:40except, of course, language.
00:45It is, in fact, my 20th visit to the United States
00:49and my first as king and head of the Commonwealth.
00:53This is a city which symbolises a period in our shared history,
00:58or what Charles Dickens might have called a tale of two Georges.
01:08APPLAUSE
01:14King George, as you know, never set foot in America,
01:18and please rest assured, ladies and gentlemen,
01:22I am not here as part of some cunning rearguard action.
01:26LAUGHTER
01:31Now, as you may know, when I address my own Parliament at Westminster,
01:36we still follow an age-old tradition
01:38and take a member of Parliament hostage.
01:42LAUGHTER
01:44Holding him or her at Buckingham Palace
01:47until I am safely returned.
01:50LAUGHTER
01:53These days, we look after our guests rather well,
01:57to the point that they often do not want to leave.
02:01LAUGHTER
02:04On your 250th birthday,
02:07let our two countries rededicate ourselves
02:10to each other
02:12in the selfless service of our peoples
02:16and of all the peoples of the world.
02:19God bless the United States
02:21and God bless the United Kingdom.
02:25APPLAUSE
02:27Thank you all.
02:30GOES tellement!
02:35Let's do it together!
02:41Thank you all.
02:55Chemistry
02:56You
Comments