A message from The King on the 75th Anniversary on the Founding of N.A.T.O. (04 April 2024).
Dear Secretary General,
Seventy-five years ago, twelve countries gathered in Washington, D.C. to call into being a defensive Alliance that would act as an antidote to years of war in Europe, a symbol of the enduring bond between Europe and North America. The United Kingdom's signature on the Washington Treaty marks our fundamental commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (N.A.T.O.) as the cornerstone of our security and the values we hold dear.
As we welcome the citizens of Sweden and Finland to the protection that N.A.T.O. affords, our thoughts remain with the Ukrainian people. In the face of an unprovoked invasion, N.A.T.O. has shown steadfast support for Ukraine in its courageous battle for sovereignty.
The United Kingdom has been there from the start. N.A.T.O.'s headquarters may have travelled from Belgrave Square in London, to the streets of Paris, and now to Brussels, but its core task endures: to protect the one billion citizens of our N.A.T.O. Allies. This vital Alliance continues to thrive and adapt in the face of new threats and challenges.
Having myself been born six months before the birth of N.A.T.O., I would like to send a personal message of gratitude and congratulations to N.A.T.O. on its seventy-fifth anniversary. This is a moment of celebration and a reminder of N.A.T.O.'s founding principle: for the preservation of peace and security.
Charles R