King Charles visits Canada in show of support amid tensions with Trump
The royal couple is scheduled to meet with PM Carney during their time in the capital, Ottawa.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla are expected to land in Canada later today for a two-day visit that carries a symbolic message of solidarity with the country, amid heightened tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump.
The visit follows an invitation by newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney, whose victory was largely fueled by public pushback against Trump’s rhetoric.
The royal couple is scheduled to meet with Carney during their time in the capital, Ottawa.
King Charles III is set to make history on Tuesday by delivering the "Speech from the Throne" to Canada’s Parliament — the first time a reigning monarch has done so in nearly five decades.
The address is anticipated to affirm Canada’s sovereignty and push back against recent assertions suggesting the country should fall under U.S. control.
The royal couple will receive a ceremonial welcome upon arrival in Ottawa on Monday, followed by engagements with various community groups, including members of Canada’s First Nation communities.
A significant moment of the visit will be the King’s meeting with Mary Simon, Canada’s first Indigenous Governor General.
This marks the King and Queen’s first official visit to Canada since ascending the throne. Their earlier planned visit was postponed due to the King’s cancer diagnosis.
By delivering the throne speech, King Charles follows the precedent set by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who addressed Canada’s Parliament in 1957 and again in 1977.
The timing of King Charles III’s visit has been widely interpreted as a clear gesture of support for Canada, coming in the wake of provocative remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting that Canada should become the 51st state.
The comments have stirred strong reactions across the country, with businesses in Ottawa and beyond displaying messages of national pride, including signs reading "Proudly Canadian."
During a recent visit to the White House, Prime Minister Mark Carney firmly told Trump that Canada is "not for sale," a sentiment expected to be echoed in the King’s upcoming speech, which is prepared based on advice from the Canadian government.
Jeremy Kinsman, Canada’s former high commissioner to the UK, said the King will likely welcome the opportunity to reinforce that message.
"It’s going to be very affirmative of Canadian sovereignty. And I can say personally that it’s something King Charles will celebrate saying. I have no doubt," said Kinsman, who worked closely with the monarch during his time as Prince of Wales.
