King Charles is set to arrive in Canada on Monday for a deeply symbolic two-day visit aimed at reaffirming support for the country, where he serves as sovereign.
The visit comes amid renewed tensions over US President Donald Trump’s vocal desire to annex Canada as a 51st state—an idea staunchly opposed by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Charles will become the first British monarch in nearly seven decades to open Canada’s parliament when he carries out the ceremonial duty in Ottawa on Tuesday. His mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, last performed the task 68 years ago. Despite currently undergoing cancer treatment, the 76-year-old king’s decision to travel underscores his enduring commitment to Canada, one of 15 nations that recognise him as head of state.
The invitation for the visit came from Prime Minister Carney, whose recent election victory was partly driven by his firm rejection of Trump’s annexation rhetoric. “The prime minister has made it clear that Canada is not for sale now, is not for sale ever,” Canada’s High Commissioner to the UK, Ralph Goodale, said during Charles’ visit to Canada House in London last week. “The king, as head of state, will reinforce the power and the strength of that message.”
In recent months, King Charles has made quiet gestures of allegiance to Canada, including referring to himself as the King of Canada, wearing Canadian honours, and praising the national flag as “a symbol that never fails to elicit a sense of pride and admiration.”
Nevertheless, his trip comes with diplomatic complexities. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is working to maintain a stable relationship with Trump, especially regarding Ukraine and trade matters. During a February visit to the White House, Starmer highlighted an invitation from Charles for a rare second state visit by Trump, who has long expressed admiration for the British royal family and whose mother was born in Scotland. The move has reportedly unsettled many Canadians.
Charles, accompanied by Queen Camilla, will be making his first visit to Canada since ascending the throne in September 2022. On Monday, the royal couple will tour a major park in Ottawa, meet local artists and vendors, attend a street hockey event where the king will perform a ceremonial puck drop, and plant a tree in a separate location in the city.
The monarch’s address to the Canadian Senate on Tuesday will mark only the third time a sovereign has delivered a “Speech from the Throne” in Canada, a tradition that formally opens each new session of parliament.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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