King Charles III arrives in Ottawa Monday for a symbolic two-day visit that Canadian officials say reaffirms the country's sovereignty, as U.S. President Donald Trump continues to hint at annexing the nation as the "51st state." The trip, which includes Charles delivering the speech from the throne to open Canada's new parliamentary session, marks the first such appearance by a British monarch in 47 years.
The visit was extended at the invitation of Prime Minister Mark Carney, who has taken a hard line against Trump's remarks. "The prime minister has made it clear that Canada is not for sale now, is not for sale ever," Ralph Goodale, Canada's envoy to the U.K., said during a visit by Charles to Canada's High Commission in London.
Charles, who is currently undergoing cancer treatment, is expected to take part in a series of public events with Queen Camilla, including a ceremonial puck drop during a street hockey demonstration, a tree-planting ceremony, and meetings with local vendors and artists. The king's appearance is part of a broader effort to emphasize Canada's unique national identity and constitutional framework.
"It reaffirms the enduring constitutional bond that has shaped Canada's journey into a proud and independent nation," said Mary Simon, Canada's first Indigenous Governor General and the king's representative in the country.
On Tuesday, the monarch will travel by horse-drawn carriage with a 28-horse escort to the Canadian Senate, where he will deliver a 25-minute speech written by Carney's government. The event marks only the third time a sovereign has delivered the speech from the throne in Canadian history.
While Charles is constitutionally Canada's head of state, the speech itself is nonpartisan and composed by the sitting government. "Charles can only act with the consent and with the advice of his prime minister," said Justin Vovk, a Canadian royal historian. "But at the same time he cannot act in a way that would throw any of the other 14 Commonwealth realms under the bus. So it is [the] finest tightrope to walk."
Carney said the visit underscores Canada's "distinct identity" and the "vitality of our constitutional monarchy." Former Quebec Premier Jean Charest added, "We are different. If you look at why King Charles is reading the speech from the throne, then you have to then acknowledge Canada's story."
The visit comes amid diplomatic friction between Ottawa and Washington. In February, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer invited Trump for a second state visit on behalf of the king, a gesture that irked Canadians. "They weren't impressed by that gesture, quite simply, given the circumstance," Carney told Sky News. "It was a time when we were quite clear ... about the issues around sovereignty."
Royal historian Carolyn Harris noted that the optics of Charles' Canadian engagements, including his Royal Canadian Dragoons' honor guard and Canadian decorations, underscore his unique role as King of Canada. "This is very much King Charles III in his role as King of Canada," Harris said.
Camilla, meanwhile, will take part in a formal swearing-in ceremony to become a Canadian privy councillor-a lifetime advisory role to the monarch-before the couple departs following a visit to Canada's National War Memorial.
