King Charles and Queen Camilla will arrive this afternoon at Ottawa’s Macdonald-Cartier International Airport, opening a two day visit designed to underline Canada’s sovereignty and cultural identity.They are set to arrive at about 1:15 pm EST, where they were greeted by Governor General Mary Simon, Prime Minister Mark Carney, Carney’s wife, and a guard of honour from the Royal Canadian Dragoons, a regiment Charles serves as colonel-in-chief. A Canadian Armed Forces band will play “God Save the King” before the royal couple leave for their first public stop.“Today, we are honoured to welcome Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla to Canada,” said Carney.“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. A bond that, over time, has evolved, just as Canada has, to reflect the strength, diversity, and confidence of our people.”.The first stop is Lansdowne Park, an Ottawa downtown gathering spot transformed into a street festival. They will meet with vendors, watch traditional and contemporary dance performances, and the King will drop a ball to start a street hockey game.The afternoon schedule continues at Rideau Hall, where Charles and Camilla will plant an oak sapling beside trees placed by earlier generations of the Royal Family. The day will finish with a reception for the country’s lieutenant-governors and territorial commissioners, followed by private meetings with Simon and Carney. During the evening, Camilla is to be sworn in as a member of the King’s Privy Council for Canada..The main reason for the Royal visit happens on Tuesday when Charles delivers the speech from the throne in the Senate chamber at 11 am EST.The address will outline the government’s priorities for the new session of Parliament. “Tomorrow, His Majesty King Charles III will deliver the Speech from the Throne in the Senate Chamber, nearly 70 years after Canada’s Sovereign first opened Parliament,” said Carney.“This historic honour matches the weight of our 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.”Only twice before has a reigning monarch given the speech in Canada, both times by Queen Elizabeth in 1957 and 1977..“Canada’s strength lies in building a strong future while embracing its English, French, and Indigenous roots – the union of peoples that forms our bedrock. Canada in the 21st century is a bold, ambitious, and innovative country that is bilingual, committed to reconciliation, and truly multicultural,” said Carney.“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.”Observers say the royal presence sends a diplomatic signal at a moment when President Donald Trump has repeatedly mused about annexing Canada. .Pete Hoekstra, the new American ambassador to Canada, tried to shut down the fifty-first state talk in a CBC Radio interview.“Move on,” said Hoekstra. “If the Canadians want to keep talking about it, that’s their business. Donald Trump is not talking about it.” Hoekstra said that Washington will “listen closely” to the throne speech, calling it “the platform of the ruling party.”
