I Didn't Expect to Be Charmed by a Monarchy — Here's What Happened

In this deep dive, I unpack how my American anti-monarchist instincts were challenged when King Charles III addressed the US Congress—the first since 1991. Amid strained US-UK relations and NATO tensions, he delivered a soft-power masterclass, defending the rule of law, climate action, Ukraine, and international cooperation to bipartisan applause. I explore how a constitutional monarchy operates alongside democracy, why the Crown can say what politicians can’t, and what it means that Trump appeared won over by a speech that contradicted his worldview. This is the moment that shifted how I see the monarchy’s role. 🧡 Stuff I Use & Recommend As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. 🔗 Amazon items mentioned in this video: – An Officer Not A Gentleman by Mandy Hickson https://amzn.to/4tZDPLE – Flag Display Case. https://amzn.to/48ekY7m – Tim Curry Vagabond. https://amzn.to/4cXlh9a – Blue Yeti Nano Premium USB Mic. https://amzn.to/48ekY7m – Gaza: The Story of a Genocide by Fatima Bhutto. https://amzn.to/4tYpIpZ YouTube Video Chapters/Timestamps 00:00. Expat Life POV: The King, Congress, & the Slow Unravelling of My American Brain 00:44 Expat Life POV: The American Anti-Monarchist Default 02:41 Expat Life POV: What King Charles Actually Did 05:15 Expat Life POV: How King Charles Charmed Trump and the US Congress 07:38 Expat Life POV: What an American in the UK is Realizing 10:01 Expat Life POV: Americans Facing Uncomfortable Truths 12:14 Expat Life POV: Final Thoughts on the British Monarchy 🪪 Click the join button below to become a member and support the Royal British Legion. More details at https://www.hicksondiaries.com/royal-british-legion-partnership 👉OTHER WAYS TO SUPPORT THE CHANNEL Can't commit to the £4.99/mo right now, no problem. There are other ways to offer your support. Consider sending a paid SuperChat during a live stream or buying me a coffee by clicking the "Thanks" while watching one of our videos. 😩NO SPARE CHANGE-NO PROBLEM Your support doesn't have to cost a thing. There's a ton of free ways to be part of our community & supporting us. If you haven't already, consider subscribing to the channel, clicking the notification bell, 🛎️ leaving comments (don't forget-I respond to every one-eventually) , participating in community posts, liking & sharing a video with a friend or on social media. Finally, simply watching our videos (and maybe re-watching your favorites a few times). All of these thing helps us be seen by new viewers. 😒DO THESE THINGS REALLY HELP? Yes, no matter how you support us, every interaction keeps us on the good side of the YouTube algorithm. Whatever you can do is greatly appreciated & I am so thankful that I have you as part of this community. I couldn't do it without you! (No seriously, if it weren't for this channel I would just be alone in my bedroom talking to myself.) ❤️THANK YOU FOR CHECKING US OUR & I HOPE I GET TO SPEAK TO YOU AGAIN SOON!❤️ ✉️ Subscribe to our FREE blog & newsletter @https://www.hicksondiaries.com/ 📧 Send Me Suggestions [email protected] 👀 Hickson Diaries viewers, be sure to check out and subscribe to our new YouTube channel Own Your Work for powerful tips & tricks as well as inspiring real life stories of how I survived 30 years of corporate life in the United States & the United Kingdom, and ended up running my own business. Find out how you can fight burnout and take back control of your career, own your work and live your best life. ⁨@OwnUrWork⁩ 🌟 Copyright Disclaimer © 2026 The Hickson Diaries/Mandy Hickson. All rights reserved. All content on this YouTube channel, including but not limited to videos, audio, visuals, text, graphics, and edits, is protected by copyright laws and international treaties. No part of this content may be reproduced, redistributed, transmitted, or reused in any form without prior written permission from the copyright owner, except as permitted by applicable law. ⚖️ Fair Use / Fair Dealing Notice This channel may include copyrighted material whose use has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Such use is made under the principles of fair use pursuant to Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act and fair dealing under the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as well as similar provisions in other jurisdictions. The use of copyrighted material is for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, parody, or research. This content is intended to be transformative and does not substitute for the original work. If you believe any content on this channel infringes your copyright, please contact: [email protected] and the matter will be addressed promptly. #expatlife #hicksondiaries #livingabroad