Monarchists hope King Charles will deliver the first speech on the throne of the Carney government
Canada's monarchists are full of hope, and King Charles will deliver the first speech from the new Liberal government from the throne when he returns in late May. They say it will be an important gesture for the head of state in the country as Canada stares at the ridicule of U.S. President Donald Trump and his 51st state.
GZERO media quoted sources in Canada and the UK, and reported on Wednesday that there were rumors that Charles was invited.
When asked by CBC News on Thursday, sources at Buckingham Palace did not deny that Prime Minister Mark Carney invited Charles to speak on the throne. The Prime Minister's Office did not respond to a request for comment regarding potential visits.
But monarchists in the knowledge say there is a consistent effort to visit Charles here – he hasn't done it since he commemorated the Queen's 2022 platinum jubilee in Canada – and there may be some strong signs when the house returns.
“I think the timing will be perfect,” said Robert Finch, president of the Canadian Monarchs' League.
“It will be a great manifestation of sovereignty. It will remind Canadians that the head of state is a president in the South, and we are indeed an independent and sovereign state, and like the men we respect, he is our monarch.”
Charles just spoke to the Italian Parliament in Rome last month and mentioned Canada's efforts to World War II, a rare gesture the king had when speaking outside the Canadian or Commonwealth environment. Charles has maintained a limited travel schedule since receiving cancer treatment.
Charles, the new monarch of Britain, has a deep connection with Canada, and has established connections with some Canadians through his charity work and publicity during many of his visits to the country.
Each new parliamentary meeting is open to the throne speech, which lists the government’s expected direction and goals and how it plans to achieve it.
The House of Commons and the Senate cannot continue any business until the monarch or his representative Governor gives a speech, which is a crucial role played by the royal family in Canadian parliamentary democracy.
The speech was read from the throne preserved by the king of the House of Lords, and that is its name.
The Canadian head of state actually read the speech that Queen Elizabeth actually gave in 1977.
“It’s going to be a huge moment”
“This is Canada about 50 years ago, and it's also a completely different Canada,” said Nathan Tidridge, a high school teacher in Water, Ontario.
“It will be a big moment. It will be the king who really acts as the king of Canada, it will be our sovereignty claim, and we are trying to define what Canada is, what is the Union. It may be the legacy of the king of this country.”
Royal visit will also be Charles' latest Canadian gesture when the country's sovereignty is challenged by Trump.
In the last two months since the trade war, Charles met with Carney and former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, running for a private audience, wore his Canadian medal in a high-profile military visit, planted a red maple tree on the ground at Buckingham Palace, and awarded his personal Canadian liaison and senior agreement officials.
“The king has this desire to support the Canadian field and serve as the king of Canada,” Tidridge said.
“This sends a strong message not only to Canadians, but to Trump,” he said.
He said: “The King has been nodding to Canada outside of Canada. Imagine what it would be like if he were here – it was a huge opportunity.
