King Charles III arrives in Ottawa on Monday to underline the sovereignty of Canada to US President Donald Trump.
Trump’s repeated suggestion that the US annexed the Northern neighbor, Prime Minister Mark Carney encouraged to invite Charles to give the speech of the throne that will outline the agenda of his government for the new parliament. The king is the head of state in Canada, which is a member of the British Commonwealth of former Colonies.
The British king Charles and Queen Camilla leave after a visit to the Canada House Trafalgar Square, in London, Tuesday 20 May 2025 to mark 100 years since it was opened in June 1925.
Arthur Edwards/Pool via AP
“His Majesty King Charles III will read the speech of the throne and thus present the plan of our government, our priorities, because Canada is confronted with a crucial moment in its history, the greatest transformation of the global trading system since the fall of the Berlin Wall,” Carney told his caucus on Sunday.
Carney said: “Canada has a steadfast defender in the sovereign” when he announced the visit earlier this month.
It comes rare for the prince to deliver what the speech of the throne in Canada is called. Charles’ mother, Queen Elizabeth II, did it twice in her 70-year-old government. The last time was in 1977.
Canadians are largely indifferent to the monarchy, but Carney is enthusiastic to show the differences between Canada and the US and he said that the king’s visit clearly underlines the sovereignty of Canada.
The Americans had a revolution to get independence from Great Britain. Canada remained a colony until 1867 and then continued as a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system in British style.
“We are different and the king illustrates that,” said former Prime Minister of Quebec Jean Charest. “If you look at why King Charles reads the speech of the throne, then you have to recognize the story of Canada.”
But the new American ambassador in Canada Pete Hoekstra said that sending messages is not necessary and Canadians should continue from the 51st State Talk, and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation says that if a message needs to be sent, there are easier to do that as calling him or calling the president.
Royal historian Carolyn Harris expects Trump to notice the visit because the president has repeatedly spoken about his admiration for the royal family.
Harris said Trump could see how different Canada is from the US.
“It is a very distinctive history that goes back to the waves of loyalists who have settled here after the American revolution,” said Harris. “And we are going to see the king in a Canadian context, accompanied by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, surrounded by Canadian symbolism. This is a lot of King Charles III in his role as King of Canada.”
The speech, which will be held on Tuesday, is not written by the king or his advisers in the UK, because the king serves as a non -party head of state. The king will read what is presented to him by the Canadian government.
“Charles can only act with the permission and with the advice of his prime minister. But at the same time he cannot act in a way that would throw one of the other 14 Commonwealth rich under the bus. So it’s the best cord to walk,” said Justin Vovk, a Canadian royal historian.
Canadians were not happy when British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expanded an invitation of the state visit to Trump on behalf of the king at a time when Trump threatened the sovereignty of Canada.
“To be honest,” Carney told Britain’s Sky News. “They were not impressed by that gesture, simply, given the circumstance. It was a time that we were pretty clear … about the problems with sovereignty.”
The king has shown more recently support for Canada, including showing Canadian military medals on his chest during a visit to a British aircraft carrier.
After the king and Queen Camilla arrived on Monday, he will drop the ceremonial first puck or ball during a street hockey game. He will also attend a community event and meet Carney and Canada’s first indigenous governor -general, Mary Simon, the representative of the king in Canada. Queen Camilla will also participate in a sworn ceremony to become a Canadian Privy Councilor, a lifelong agreement that enables her to give advice to the king.
The king returns to the UK after Tuesday’s speech and a visit to the National War Memorial of Canada.
Copyright © 2025 by the Associated Press. All rights reserved.
#King #Charles #III #Visit #Canada #underlines #sovereignty #Canada #Trump