King Charles will make his first visit to Canada as monarch next week, with the King set to deliver a speech from the throne at the state opening of parliament.
The King and Queen will spend two days in Ottawa during the visit, which marks Charles’s first trip to the Commonwealth nation since becoming King.
The visit comes amid heightened tensions with US President Donald Trump, who has threatened to annex Canada.
The royal presence is expected to reinforce Canada’s sovereignty and independence in the face of these unprecedented challenges from its southern neighbour.
The visit comes amid heightened tensions with US President Donald Trump, who has threatened to annex Canada.
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Ralph Goodale, the high commissioner for Canada in the UK, said the royal visit would significantly underline the country’s response to President Trump’s annexation threats.
“The prime minister has made it clear that Canada is not for sale now, is not for sale ever, and I think he probably added five ‘nevers’ after that to make the point,” Mr Goodale said.
He added: “The King as head of state will reinforce the power and the strength of that message and it is as I said before captured in our anthem. We are the true north, strong and free and we will stay that way.”
The royal visit was originally scheduled for spring 2024 but was postponed following the King’s cancer diagnosis.
It has now been rearranged after the election of former Bank of England governor Mark Carney’s Liberal Party in Canada.
King Charles will make his first visit to Canada as monarch next week, with the King set to deliver a speech from the throne at the state opening of parliament.
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The visit comes at a time of diplomatic tension, with Mr Carney recently criticising Sir Keir Starmer for offering President Trump a second state visit to the UK while the US president was challenging Canadian sovereignty.
Canada’s Prime Minister stated that Canadians “weren’t impressed” by the invitation being delivered at the White House in February, adding that it “cut across” efforts to reject Mr Trump’s calls for Canada to become the 51st US state.
On Tuesday, the King and Queen visited Canada House in London to mark its 100th anniversary and meet Canadians ahead of the royal visit next week.
They were welcomed by two Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers and heard a short speech from Mr Goodale.
“Your presence here today launches your journey to Canada next week. This will be your 20th visit but your first as reigning monarch,” Mr Goodale said.
On Tuesday, the King and Queen visited Canada House in London to mark its 100th anniversary and meet Canadians ahead of the royal visit next week.
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Chief Perry Bellegarde, a First Nations advocate, described the King’s upcoming throne speech as “a huge deal”.
“To have the head of state, the monarch, come, is huge. And to read the speech from the throne sends a very powerful message,” Chief Bellegarde said.
A Buckingham Palace source commented on the upcoming trip: “The King and Queen are very much looking forward to the programme, mindful that it is a short visit but hopefully an impactful one.”
The King is expected to host President Trump in the UK in September, ahead of a second US state visit.
