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.

Well wishers wave flags before the arrival of Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla at a Lansdowne Park community event in Ottawa, Canada, on Sunday.
Well wishers wave flags before the arrival of Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla at a Lansdowne Park community event in Ottawa, Canada, on Sunday. (Dave Chan | AFP via Getty Images)

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 U.S. is destroying $9.7 million in contraceptives. Is there another option?

This planned destruction of birth control devices is part of the dismantling of USAID services — and linked to allegations by the government that cite abortion. Critics are speaking out.

Two Israeli human rights groups say their country is committing genocide in Gaza

It is the first time that Jewish-led organizations in Israel have made such accusations against the country during nearly 22 months of war.

States sue USDA over efforts to gather food stamp data on tens of millions of people

Twenty states and Washington, DC are suing USDA after the agency demanded states turn over sensitive data on applicants for food assistance by July 30.

‘There you are’: How Mariska Hargitay sought out the truth behind her bombshell mom

The Law & Order: SVU actor was 3 years old in 1967 when her movie star mom, Jayne Mansfield, died in a car crash. Hargitay's new documentary My Mom Jayne explores her mother's identity, and her own.

Don’t wait for the Perseids in August — look for meteors this week

A bright moon will make it hard to see the Perseid meteor shower in mid-August, but one night this week offers a decent chance of seeing some shooting stars.

Mental health warnings on social media? Minnesota will require them next year

Supporters say the pop-up messages could encourage Minnesotans, especially kids, to think twice about how much time they spend on sites. Social media companies argue that the law is heavy-handed.

More Front Page Coverage