King Charles deliberately made pointed speech about the sovereignty of Canada, but did not want to 'call out' President Trump, aides reveal
King Charles ' pointed speech to President Trump regarding the sovereignty of was 'thought-provoking, but not provocative', sources have insisted.
In an historic speech to the country's parliament as their head of state on Tuesday, he hailed a 'strong and free' Canada in a clear attempt to dial down the president's rhetoric over the fellow North American nation becoming America's '51st state'.
Royal aides have said it was a deliberate decision by the King, acting on the advice of the Canadian government, to make his point firmly and politely but not to 'call out' President Trump by name.
'It's all about commending what is positive. And that's what the sovereign does, it's not the sovereign's job to start pointing fingers,' one insider said.
Whether it falls on receptive ears remains to be seen.
Hours after Charles' landmark 'Speech from the Throne', President Trump appeared to double down on his threats to annexe Canada by saying that the country would not have to pay billions of dollars to join his future 'Golden Dome' missile programme 'if they become our cherished 51st State'.
'They are considering the offer!' Trump posted on social media.
This was in contrast to claims by the US ambassador to Canada who said last week that the whole annexation saga was 'over' and the White House had more important things to focus on.
Royal aides have said it was a deliberate decision by the King, acting on the advice of the Canadian government, to make his point firmly and politely but not to 'call out' President Trump by name
Trump was not the only target, with China the target of a subtle but significant message, too, given its current attempts to gain a foothold in the region and become a 'polar power'.
The Arctic is seen a something of a new crossroad for global superpowers in terms of access to raw materials, trade routes and science and research.
Sources say it was 'really important' for the King to address the issue given Canada's sovereignty in the region and China's 'troubling' ambitions - described in the speech as 'new threats'.
Buckingham Palace are viewing the King's whirlwind 23-hour visit to Canada, his first as its monarch and head of state, as a huge success.
Tens of thousands of people turned out to see him in the capital, Ottawa, and with cries of 'God Save The King' and 'Vivre Le Roi' wherever he went.
'He was very touched. To go to a Realm of which you are king but in which you don't actually live, is a big thing when you do it for the first time. It is a reset and reaffirmation of that relationship, and for so many people to turn out and to be so thrilled to see him was fantastic,' a source said.
'What the king was able to do was show very strong support for Canada and what would be the point of being King of Canada if you didn't show support?'
Royal insiders say the visit brings to an end a host of historic 'firsts' since the King's accession in 2022.
Starting with his return to London and tour of the home nations in the weeks after Queen Elizabeth's death, as well as his first public address and Christmas message, it continued with his inaugural tour of Australia and now Canada, considered the 'senior realm'.
Moving forwards it is understood the King intends to focus on continuing 'getting it right', shining a light on causes he feels passionate about and ensuring the monarchy continues to evolve with the times.
'Almost three years on, everyone has a clear impression of what that is and the role that he will play - one that is both traditional for the monarchy and distinct to His Majesty,' a source said.
'Leveraging on the long relationships he has built over the years, he has enhanced his role as a global statesman on so many issues, wielding soft power to the benefit of all the realms and commonwealth nations at a time of great international challenge.
'Underpinning it all are the four big Cs at the heart of his personal value system - communities, climate, commonwealth, culture - with the smaller c of his own illness being used to show support for others affected by cancer.
'He has dealt with his illness in a very human way and the way he's engaging with the public at a very human level. I think we now have a clear idea of what the Carolean age looks like and what it stands for - now and hopefully for many years to come.'
Despite the taxing nature of his role, the King is also continuing to 'manage' his illness, after being first diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in January last year.
'The thing you learn about this illness [cancer] is that you just manage it. And that's what he does. The medical science has made incredible advances and I genuinely see no difference in him,' a source close to the king said.
'As long as you just do what the doctors say, just live your life as normal as possible… [and] that's exactly what he is doing.
'It's no secret that he is still having treatment but because he is incredibly fit, he is just dealing with it all incredibly well.
'As everybody knows he is driven by duty, so he just gets on with it….
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Blurred lines between business and politics The presence of Musk - an unelected "special government employee" with companies that count the US government as customers - in Trump's White House has also raised eyebrows, prompting questions about potential conflicts of interest. His corporate empire includes large companies that do business with US and foreign governments. SpaceX has $22 billion in US government contracts, according to the company's chief executive. Some Democrats also accused Musk of taking advantage of his position to drum up business abroad for his satellite internet services firm, Starlink. The White House was accused of helping Musk's businesses by showcasing vehicles made by Tesla - his embattled car company - on the White House lawn in March. Musk and Trump have both shrugged off any suggestion that his work with the government is conflicted or ethically problematic. A nudge for US isolationism? Around the world, Musk's work with Doge was most felt after the vast majority - over 80% - of the US Agency for International Development's (USAID's) programmes were eliminated following a six-week review by Doge. The rest were absorbed by the State Department. The Musk and Doge-led cuts formed part of a wider effort by the Trump administration to bring overseas spending closer in line with its "America First" approach. The cuts to the agency - tasked with work such as famine detection, vaccinations and food aid in conflict areas - quickly had an impact on projects including communal kitchens in war-torn Sudan, scholarships for young Afghan women who fled the Taliban and clinics for transgender people in India. USAID also was a crucial instrument of US "soft power" around the world, leading some detractors pointing to its elimination as a sign of waning American influence on the global stage. Conspiracies and misinformation While Musk - and Trump - have for years been accused by detractors of spreading baseless conspiracy theories, Musk's presence in the White House starkly highlighted how misinformation has crept into discourse at the highest levels of the US government. For example, Musk spread an unfounded internet theory that US gold reserves had quietly been stolen from Fort Knox in Kentucky. At one point, he floated the idea of livestreaming a visit there to ensure the gold was secured. Fact-checking Trump's Oval Office confrontation with Ramaphosa More recently, Musk spread widely discredited rumours that the white Afrikaner population of South Africa is facing "genocide" in their home country. Those rumours found their way into the Oval Office earlier in May, when a meeting aimed at soothing tensions between the US and South Africa took a drastic twist after Trump presented South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with videos and articles he said were evidence of crimes against Afrikaners. Revealed divisions inside Trump's camp Musk's work in government also showed that, despite public pledges of unity, there are tensions within the "Trump 2.0" administration. While Trump publicly - and repeatedly - backed the work of Musk and Doge, Musk's tenure was marked by reports of tension between him and members of the cabinet who felt Doge cuts were impacting their agencies. "They have a lot of respect for Elon and that he's doing this, and some disagree a little bit," Trump acknowledged in a February cabinet meeting. "If they aren't, I want them to speak up." At one point, he was asked whether any cabinet members had expressed dissatisfaction with Musk and turned to the room to ask them. No one spoke. The announcement of Musk's departure also came the same day that CBS - the BBC's US partner - publicised part of an interview during which Musk said he was "disappointed" by Trump's "big, beautiful" budget bill. The bill includes multi-trillion dollar tax breaks and a pledge to increase defence spending. Musk said the bill "undermines" the work of Doge to cut spending - reflecting larger tensions within the Republican Party over the path forward.
