Morning Update: King Charles's Canadian Day

Globe and Mail

27-05-2025

Good morning. In this new political climate, anything that King Charles III says at today's Throne Speech will be met with an unparalleled level of analysis. More on the King's visit below, plus the first day of Parliament's return. But first:
King Charles III and Queen Camilla were greeted by loud cheers upon landing in Ottawa, kicking off the first day of a historic visit before the King opens Parliament today with a speech from the throne.
They traveled aboard an RCAF Airbus CC-330 Husky, newly acquired by the Canadian Armed Forces. There to welcome the royal couple were Prime Minister Mark Carney, his wife Diana Fox Carney, Governor-General Mary Simon and Indigenous leaders including Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse.
But beyond the expected fanfare, the stakes are high for the King and Queen Camilla to make a good first impression on their first visit since the coronation, says freelance Royal reporter Patricia Treble. Yesterday, she was watching for the signs.
The Sovereign's Flag for Canada hoisted from the cockpit of the plane as it taxis to a stop in Ottawa? Check.
King Charles wearing his Order of Canada pin on his lapel? Check.
Queen Camilla wearing a suitably Canadian brooch? Check.
Tree planting and puck drop ceremonies? Of course.
Diving deeper into fashion choice, Idella Sturino notes that Queen Camilla was wearing the iconic diamond maple leaf brooch given to Queen Elizabeth by King George VI in 1939 before their first royal tour of Canada.
There are five broaches she could have chosen with significance to Canada. In fact, the royal couple's visit is full of sartorial Easter eggs and hidden meaning.
One excited resident, Helen Clark, spoke with generation reporter Ann Hui in the morning when she was picking up Union Jacks for her two grandchildren. Clark was born in Britain and raised in Ottawa, where her own mother would take her to see the royals whenever they came to visit. Now she's passing on the tradition to her own grandchildren.
'It's important. This could be the last time the King comes to Canada,' she said, referring to his recent health troubles. 'I hope it's not.'
Not everyone was delighted by our guests. Protestors did also show up, with signs saying 'not my King' and 'Charles is not my King and neither is Mark Carney.' But their cries were drowned out by cheering and chanting of God Save the King.
Sovereignty was a major talking point of the day, thanks to Trump's comments on making Canada a 51st state. But Ottawa residents told The Globe that they see the visit as a move that represented broader unity with the world outside of our neighbours down south.
'When the King comes to town, you get the world's spotlight trained on you for one brief, bright moment, so you put on a play about yourself and your place in the world,' wrote Shannon Proudfoot, taking a step back from the events of the day.
You can catch up on the full day, with dispatches that were sent from our reporters on the ground across the city.
Back in Britain it was a holiday, but London-based foreign correspondent Paul Waldie wrote in to us that the King's Canadian visit is still getting a lot of attention.
Much of their media coverage has highlighted how the trip is designed to send a message to Trump. 'King Charles travels to support Canada as it fends off Trump,' read one BBC story, which reported the royal 'diplomatic balancing act.'
However, the trip to Canada was competing for European attention against the Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling contest and three major soccer celebrations.
However, fresh off their team's Premier League championship win, Liverpool fans were left mourning after a car plowed into a crowd at their victory parade – a grief familiar to Canadians after the Lapu Lapu tragedy in Vancouver exactly one month ago.
'After Trudeau, who consciously sought the symbols of progressive change, Carney is looking like a more traditional prime minister,' writes Campbell Clark.
'The King's presence in this constitutional role may surprise some Canadians, but for many First Nations across these lands, it reaffirms something we have always known: the Crown is not merely symbolic,' writes Perry Bellegarde.
'If ever there was a time for Canadians to start checking in on their system of government, it is now. We can thank our newly crowned King for that. And Donald Trump,' writes John Fraser.
'Canada and Britain, each facing unprecedented uncertainty, find themselves forced into strategic realignment,' writes Evan H. Potter.
Prime Minister Carney took his seat in the House of Commons for the first time as the work of the 45th Parliament began.
Montreal-area Liberal MP Francis Scarpaleggia was elected as the new Speaker. He paid tribute to previous speaker Greg Fergus for handling the job in feisty times.
Separately, the NDP will not be granted official party status because the law says a party needs at least 12 seats to be recognized. The democrats stand with just seven seats after last month's election.
Ukraine says Russia launched its biggest drone attack yet, prompting President Trump to say President Vladimir Putin had gone 'crazy' on social media. The last three days of escalated bombing has further dashed hopes of a ceasefire between the two nations.
At home: A text message that the Crown says is crucial to the Hockey Canada sex-assault case has been ruled inadmissible
Abroad: No sign of aid deliveries being made in Gaza as Israel continues to mount fierce attacks on the besieged enclave.
At the border: Ottawa is facing a legal challenge arguing that its oversight of a refugee treaty with the U.S. is 'fundamentally flawed.'
At the wheel: Driving at 16 is no longer the norm and instructors are adapting.