King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrived in Canada on Monday to kick off a royal visit that will include the opening of Parliament, a moment that Prime Minister Mark Carney said “matches the weight of our times.”
The Airbus CC-330 Husky carrying the royal couple — one of nine new planes acquired by the Royal Canadian Air Force — touched down in Ottawa Monday afternoon.
The King and Queen were greeted by Carney, Gov. Gen. Mary Simon and a delegation of Indigenous and government officials, before shaking hands and taking pictures with Canadians who gathered to watch their arrival.
The King and Queen later joined Carney and Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe at a farmer’s market and community event in Lansdowne Park.
King Charles took part in a ceremonial puck drop for a street hockey game in the plaza after he and Queen Camilla strolled past vendors in the crowded courtyard.
The royals then moved to Rideau Hall, where a tree-planting ceremony was held to commemorate the trip before King Charles sat down for one-on-one meetings with Simon and Carney.
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“The presence of Their Majesties at this pivotal moment in our history holds profound significance. It reaffirms the enduring constitutional bond that has shaped Canada’s journey into a proud and independent nation,” Simon said in a statement.
King Charles is set to deliver the speech from the throne to Parliament on Tuesday, officially opening the new session. He will be the first Canadian sovereign to deliver the throne speech in nearly 50 years.
“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 in a statement ahead of the royals’ arrival.
“To that end, the speech from the throne will outline the government’s ambitious plan to act with urgency and determination, and to deliver the change Canadians want and deserve: to define a new economic and security relationship with the United States, to build the strongest economy in the G7, to bring down the cost of living, and to keep communities safe.”
The visit comes two years after Charles was crowned king and at a time when Canada’s sovereignty has been repeatedly threatened by U.S. President Donald Trump, who has said multiple times since his re-election that Canada should be the 51st state.
Support for the Crown in Canada has increased in those two years, with Ipsos Public Affairs polling exclusively for Global News showing 66 per cent of respondents believe the country’s relationship with the monarchy is useful because it sets us apart from the U.S.
That’s up from 54 per cent in April 2023, just a month before the coronation.
Sixty-five per cent of respondents also said Canada’s ties to the monarchy are an important part of Canada’s heritage and play a role in shaping who we are, up from 58 per cent in April 2023.
“The Royal Visit is a reminder of the bond between Canada and the Crown — one forged over generations, shaped by shared histories, and grounded in common values,” Carney said.
“A bond that, over time, has evolved, just as Canada has, to reflect the strength, diversity and confidence of our people.”
Canada’s attitudes toward the monarchy appear to be warming, with support for cutting ties with the Crown dropping by 12 points since 2023.
The speech from the throne is normally delivered by the governor general — the monarch’s representative in Canada — in which the government’s agenda and priorities are outlined.
However, shortly after the federal election, Carney announced the King would be delivering that speech, a moment that, at the time, the prime minister said “underscores the sovereignty of our country.”
Carney said in his statement Monday that the speech from the throne would outline the federal government’s “ambitious plan to act with urgency and determination” and deliver change for Canadians.
—With files from Global News’ Katie Dangerfield and the Canadian Press
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