OTTAWA, MAY 27 (V7N) – King Charles III is scheduled to deliver a historic speech to open Canada's parliament on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, amidst what Canadian officials describe as unprecedented threats from US President Donald Trump. This visit marks the King's first to the British Commonwealth nation, of which he is Head of State, since his coronation.

Prime Minister Mark Carney extended the invitation for the 76-year-old monarch, who is battling cancer, to travel to the Canadian capital accompanied by Queen Camilla. Carney stated his intention to leverage the visit to underscore Canada's sovereignty, remarking, "This historic honor matches the weight of our times."

While King Charles has never publicly addressed Trump's repeated suggestions of making Canada the 51st US state, his "throne speech" will be closely scrutinized for any allusions to the topic. Trump has also disrupted the global trade order and initiated tariff disputes, particularly targeting Canada.

The speech, though read by the King as his own words, was drafted by the Prime Minister's office. It will outline the government's priorities to "build Canada strong" and the strategies to achieve them. Prime Minister Carney's Liberal Party, which won the April 28 legislative elections on a platform centered on managing relations with Trump, has vowed to undertake the most significant transformation of Canada's economy since World War II to enable it to "stand up" to the US President. The throne speech is expected to subtly but firmly reaffirm Canada's sovereignty.

Felix Mathieu, a politics professor at the University of Quebec in Outaouais, highlighted the "extraordinary" symbolism of the event, as it marks only the third time a reigning sovereign has personally delivered the throne speech in Canada, with the previous instances being in 1957 and 1977 by Queen Elizabeth II. Mathieu also noted the broader "message to Donald Trump" that Canada is not isolated in this geopolitical struggle.

Thousands gathered in Ottawa on Monday to welcome the King and Queen on their first day of the brief visit. Many attendees voiced their support for Canada's sovereignty, with one saying the King was there to deliver "a clear message to Trump that we are not for sale."

Monday's engagements included a visit to a farmer's market, Indigenous music performances, military honors, and private audiences for the King with Prime Minister Carney and Indigenous leaders. On Tuesday morning, the monarchs are scheduled for a ceremonial procession to the Senate in a four-wheeled carriage, escorted by horses from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's "Musical Ride" unit. The day's events will also include a 21-gun salute, a fighter jet flypast, and a wreath-laying ceremony at a war memorial.

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