King Charles will deliver Canada’s speech from the throne when he and Queen Camilla visit Canada at the end of May.
“The King, accompanied by The Queen, will attend The State Opening of the Parliament of Canada, in Ottawa,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement on Friday. Prime Minister Mark Carney called it an “historic honour” that “matches the weight of our times,” during a Friday news conference.
The royal visit “clearly underscores the sovereignty” of Canada, he added, referencing recent and enduring rhetoric from U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting Canada should become a state. The president once said he was open to using “economic force” to make it happen. Trump also repeatedly called former prime minister Justin Trudeau a “governor,” and made various claims that the United States subsidizes Canada.
Canada’s sovereignty from the United States subsequently became a pillar of the election campaign that installed Carney’s minority government. The two leaders are expected to discuss their countries’ relationship at a White House meeting scheduled for Tuesday.
No palace comment yet on 51st state
While Trump’s annexation threats made headlines around the world, Buckingham Palace has remained silent. Asked directly for the palace’s response in March, a spokesperson told that it’s “not something we would comment on.”
While some Canadians would have liked to hear the King weigh in, the Statute of Westminster prohibits the monarch from acting outside of the advice of the minister of a given dominion, which for Canada is Carney.
Carney said he made the request to the “ultimate head of state” himself, but did not mention whether he asked King Charles III to weigh in on Canada’s relationship with its southern neighbour.
The royals will arrive on May 26. The throne speech will take place on May 27.
What is a throne speech?
The speech from the throne opens each session of Parliament. It outlines the government’s priorities for the session, which cannot begin until the speech is delivered.
Typically, Canada’s governor general reads the speech as the monarch’s representative. In 1957 and 1977, Queen Elizabeth was in Canada and chose to read the speech herself.
The end of the speech serves as the starting gun for business in the House of Commons and the Senate. From there, the prime minister can introduce an ostensibly ceremonial Bill C-1, while a senator will introduce their own respective document, Bill S-1, which only receive first readings.
FROM THE ARCHIVE: Gov. Gen. Mary Simon, right, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speak together before the Speech from the Throne, Tuesday, November 23, 2021 in Ottawa.
They are filed in order to demonstrate “independence from the Crown and their right to meet and debate without having to follow the agenda presented in the Speech,” by Canada’s own official description.
The King has been to Canada 22 times in his lifetime. The Queen, for her part, has visited five times. The couple visited most recently in May 2022. They appeared in St. John’s, N.L., the capital, and the Northwest Territories.
“Our Canadian identity is deeply rooted in our constitution and this visit highlights the enduring relationship between Canada and the Crown,” reads a statement from Governor General Mary Simon.
“Now more than ever, we need to come together to ensure a future that builds on our shared global values of democracy, equality and peace,” reads the statement.