The monarch addressed Canada’s Parliament at the request of Prime Minister Mark Carney, emphasizing national sovereignty amid U.S. annexation threats.
King Charles III of the United Kingdom declared on Tuesday that Canada is facing “a critical moment” with “unprecedented challenges,” as the nation’s relationships with its partners shift in a “dangerous world.”
Charles III, who is also Canada’s monarch, delivered the Throne Speech in the country’s Parliament at the request of Prime Minister Mark Carney, responding to U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent annexation threats.
The monarch arrived Monday in Ottawa for a visit that, according to Carney, is meant to reinforce Canada’s sovereignty following Trump’s repeated suggestions that the United States could annex its northern neighbor.
Trump’s statements prompted Carney to invite Charles to read the Throne Speech, which outlines the government’s agenda for the new Parliament.
The king serves as Canada’s head of state, with the country remaining a constitutional monarchy and member of the British Commonwealth.
“This historic honor matches the gravity of our times. It speaks to our enduring tradition and friendship, the vitality of our constitutional monarchy and our distinctive identity, and to the historic bonds that crises only strengthen,” Carney said in a statement.
“Canada’s strength lies in building a solid future while embracing its English, French, and Indigenous roots: the union of peoples that forms our foundation,” the prime minister emphasized.
Carney, the new prime minister and former Bank of England governor, along with Canada’s first Indigenous governor general, Mary Simon — the monarch’s representative in the country — welcomed the king and Queen Camilla at the airport. A 25-member Royal Canadian Dragoons honor guard, of which the king is colonel-in-chief, was also present.
During the visit, King Charles also threw the ceremonial first puck at a street hockey game during a community event.
Simon noted that the presence of Charles and Camilla “reaffirms the enduring constitutional bond that has shaped Canada’s path toward becoming a proud and independent nation.”
“Their visit invites us to reflect on who we are and to celebrate our distinctive national identity,” Simon said Monday.
Canadians emphasize their differences from the U.S.
It is rare for the monarch to deliver the Throne Speech in Canada; Charles’s mother, Queen Elizabeth II, did so only twice in her 70-year reign, most recently in 1977.
While Canadians are largely indifferent to the monarchy, Carney is eager to highlight the differences between Canada and the United States. The king’s visit clearly underscores Canada’s sovereignty, he said.
After the United States gained independence from Britain, Canada remained a colony until 1867 and has since continued as a constitutional monarchy with a British-style parliamentary system.
The Throne Speech is not written by the king or his U.K. advisers, as Charles acts as a nonpartisan head of state. Instead, he reads the agenda provided by Canada’s government.
Canadians were displeased when U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer extended a state visit invitation to Trump on behalf of the king at a time when Trump was threatening Canada’s sovereignty.
“They simply weren’t impressed by that gesture, given the circumstances,” Carney told Britain’s Sky News. “It was a moment when we were quite clear… about the issues surrounding sovereignty.”
More recently, the king has signaled support for Canada, including wearing Canadian military medals on his chest during a visit to a British aircraft carrier.
Charles was also scheduled to attend a community event and meet with Carney. Meanwhile, Queen Camilla was set to participate in a swearing-in ceremony to become a Canadian privy councillor, a lifetime appointment allowing her to advise the king on Canadian matters.
The king will return to the United Kingdom after the speech and a visit to Canada’s National War Memorial.
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