(CAPITOL CITY NOW) – King Charles’ address to a joint session of Congress Tuesday stirred memories for U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D-Springfield).

“I did a study-abroad program in college where I actually interned in the House of Commons,” Budzinski said. “I got one guest ticket (to the King’s speech). I brought my British government professor from the University of Illinois.”

As for the King’s address itself, “The most important point to me is that he underscored the importance of our relationship and the history of our relationship,” said Budzinski, “and we are on the precipice of celebrating our 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, how deep that history runs, and how important that partnership is.”

But the war with Iran, the congresswoman says, has strained the relationship between the U.S. and the U.K. “I think (President Trump) is put off that he came to an ally that has now – we have in some ways a complicated relationship – and asked them to step forward and step into this war, and they said no.”