Canada welcomes King Charles against a backdrop of tensions with Trump
King Charles III and Queen Camilla have arrived in Canada at the start of a two-day visit widely seen as bolstering the country’s sovereignty amid threats by President Trump to turn the United States’ northern neighbor into the 51st state.
The King was met at the airport in the nation’s capital, Ottawa, by dignitaries, including Canada’s new prime minister, Mark Carney, and the country’s first indigenous governor general, Mary Simon, who is the king’s representative in Canada.
Carney, who was elected on an anti-Trump platform in April, asked the king to visit shortly after he became leader of the Liberal political party. At the time, Trump had imposed tariffs on Canada and was taunting to annex the country.
In a statement, Carney said the king’s visit was an historic honor that matches the weight of the times.
“It speaks to our enduring tradition and friendship, to the vitality of our constitutional monarchy and our distinct identity, and to the historic ties that crises only fortify,” Carney said.
Carney and the king are due to have a meeting during the visit.
On Tuesday, King Charles will read a speech from the throne to open a new session of Canada’s parliament, the first time a monarch has done that since 1977, when Queen Elizabeth addressed the senate.
It will be a largely ceremonial event, but it underlines a distinct difference in how the democracies of the U.S. and Canada differ. Canada is a constitutional monarchy and the king is the country’s head of state.
The speech from the throne lays out the Canadian government’s plans for the future. Although read by Charles, it will be written by Carney’s office and is expected to robustly defend Canada’s sovereignty — much as the prime minister did on the campaign trail.
This is Charles’ first trip to Canada since he was crowned king in 2023. An earlier trip planned for last year was cancelled after he was diagnosed with cancer. He has often spoken warmly about Canada and its people, calling them “outward-looking, big-hearted people” during a visit in May 2022.
The government is investigating new claims that DOGE misused Social Security data
The fallout from DOGE staffers' efforts to access sensitive Social Security data continues as an agency watchdog disclosed a new investigation into "potential misuse" reported by a whistleblower.
Epstein’s longtime accountant testifies he was ‘not aware’ of sex offender’s crimes
Richard Kahn testified to the House Oversight Committee that he did not know about Epstein's crimes. He said monetary gifts that Epstein made did not raise any red flags.
Rebecca Gayheart Dane on caring for her late husband, Eric Dane, and synthetic voices
The wife of 'Grey's Anatomy' actor Eric Dane says caring for him gave her an "extra dose" of compassion for others.
Chile turns right: Kast inaugurated as nation’s most conservative leader since Pinochet
Chile has sworn in its most right-wing president in decades — and his rise, and ideology, are rooted in a small town beneath the Andes.
Iran’s soccer team cannot participate in the FIFA World Cup, Iranian minister says
Iran is set to play three games in the U.S. this June. But amid the U.S.-Israel military campaign that has killed Iran's supreme leader, Iran's sports minister said the team would pull out.
Pentagon probe points to U.S. missile hitting Iranian school
A military assessment suggests a U.S. Tomahawk cruise missile was responsible for at least 165 deaths at an Iranian girls' school, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly.
