King Charles will speak from the Throne of the Parliament of Canada on Tuesday and show his support for the country in its ongoing dispute with President Trump.
It’s a moment when Charles, as King of Canada, will officially seal his support for this nation, which has been left feeling vulnerable in the wake of threats from the Trump White House.
Canada might have the second largest area of any country on earth, but repeated assertions by Donald Trump that he will annex his northern neighbour has appeared to unite millions of Canadians.
That Canada is a commonwealth realm, where its head of state remains a monarch who lives in London, has increasingly been seen as a cause around which Canadians can rally, rather than an outdated system of democracy that should be imminently reassessed.
Even many communities from Canada’s indigenous groups (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) who might once have had reasons to take issue with the British crown, now regard this visit by King Charles as a moment to show solidarity.
Inuit community leader Natan Obed, who is president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, says King Charles’ address to the Canadian parliament on Tuesday is “unequivocally” a sign that Canada’s head of state is picking a side and supporting its right to have an independent and sovereign future.
“We want to show the solidarity that we have with the Crown at this time when there are conversations about the legitimacy of Canada’s sovereignty and also the future of this nation state,” Natan Obed said.
Canada’s immediate future, in legislative terms at least, will be articulated by the King on Tuesday as he reads words which, just like in the UK, are written for him by his government.
He will summarise the new administration’s ambitions for the new session – the 45th of the Canadian parliament.
It’s a less formal occasion than the ceremonial State Opening that many might recognise in the UK; there are no state crowns or robes, just suits and day dresses.
But there is still an open landau carriage to ride in (weather permitting) and a throne to sit in.
In Ottawa, similarities between Canada’s parliamentary system and the one in London are to be found everywhere.
The upper chamber is red, just like the House of Lords – and the monarch (or his/her representative in the governor general) is the only person who can sit on the throne.
But the priority for King Charles on Tuesday will be to cement his role as head of state of Canada, representing the people of this North American country, following an election which was dominated by opposition to Donald Trump.
That means, on Tuesday, Charles’ role as head of state of the UK will be paused.
Royal sources insist the King has a deep love of Canada, and he won’t be afraid to show it, no matter how that might be received in Washington DC.
The issue of King Charles’ invitation to the very same Donald Trump to visit the UK for that “unprecedented” second state visit is a matter for another day.
And as monarch of 14 other realms outside the UK, his role in Ottawa on Tuesday will not faze this King.
“Underpinning it all are the warm personal relationships he has with leaders right across the globe”, a palace source told ITV News when asked about the King’s separate roles in the UK and Canada.
He’s been to Canada 19 times before and is deeply fond of the country, but his 20th visit is the first time Charles has arrived as head of state.
Queen Camilla is also being sworn into the Privy Council of Canada – a move which will mirror what happened in 1957, when Charles’ mother, Queen Elizabeth, made her first visit as Queen of Canada and Prince Philip was enrolled as a member of the Privy Council here.
“It is an honour that matches the weight of our times,” Prime Minister Carney said. He said it was “a reminder of the bond between Canada and the Crown”.
The late Queen saw many world events and diplomatic crises.
The one King Charles is navigating this week is well within his comfort zone, insists the palace, and his roles in Canada and in the UK remain “distinct”.
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