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Royal visit a 'historic moment' for Canada and King Charles
Royal visit a 'historic moment' for Canada and King Charles

CBC

time28-05-2025

  • Entertainment
  • CBC

Royal visit a 'historic moment' for Canada and King Charles

Social Sharing Hello, royal watchers. This is your regular dose of royal news and analysis. Reading this online? Sign up here to get this delivered to your inbox. In Ottawa's Lansdowne Park, those gathered in the enthusiastic crowd on Monday reached out, trying to shake hands or grab a selfie with King Charles and Queen Camilla. In the grounds of Rideau Hall, a spontaneous rendition of God Save the King filled the air after Charles and Camilla completed that most royal of royal duties: planting a tree. And in the Senate Tuesday, those listening broke into applause as Charles wrapped up his main task as Canada's head of state on a whirlwind trip to the country, drawing the speech from the throne to a close by saying, "As the anthem reminds us: The true north is indeed strong and free." The trip, which had unfolded in a highly charged political climate for the country after repeated annexation taunts from U.S. President Donald Trump, wrapped up with a sense that it was a historic moment for both the country and the monarch. "I think it is going to go down as one of the most successful royal visits," royal historian Justin Vovk of McMaster University in Hamilton said in an interview. The trip that brought Charles and Camilla to the country's capital for just shy of 24 hours "hit the mark everywhere it has needed to," Vovk said. WATCH | On the way to the Senate: King Charles and Queen Camilla parade to Parliament 17 hours ago Duration 2:35 "Everything from the moment they got off the plane, the people chosen to meet them, the inclusion of not just the chief of the National Assembly of First Nations, but also Indigenous musicians, Indigenous young people, and having high schoolers and Canadian youth get to meet him — the visit to Lansdowne Park was a huge, huge success." That time in the park Monday gave Charles and Camilla the opportunity to meet — very briefly — a wide range of Canadians. The enthusiasm of the crowd gathered there was palpable. "There was a great deal of warmth from the Canadian people gathered in Ottawa to greet the King and Queen," Toronto-based royal author and historian Carolyn Harris said in an interview. "There was spontaneous singing of God Save the King and O Canada at the tree planting at Rideau Hall. And on Tuesday, amidst all the cheering, there were a few people who shouted, 'Thanks for coming.'" Harris sees it all as "a very historic moment that was greatly appreciated by the thousands of Canadians who came to see King Charles and Queen Camilla during their time in Canada." As much as the visit was ostensibly to Canada, there is little doubt that organizers knew it would be scrutinized beyond the country's borders, particularly in Washington. But it would also be watched in the United Kingdom, where trade and other priorities can at times differ from those of Canada. "I think the U.K. government will be broadly happy with it, but it all depends on the response, if any, from the White House," Craig Prescott, a constitutional expert and lecturer in law at Royal Holloway, University of London, said in an interview. "That's the real thing and we don't know … whether Trump will just simply ignore it or whether we'll get a tweet on Truth Social all in capitals about it. That's the unpredictable thing here. "But I think in a sense this was a Canadian moment for Canada," said Prescott, who also described it as a "unique trip" for a "unique moment." It was also a moment for King Charles himself. "I would go as far as to say that outside the … immediate accession and the coronation, I think this has been his biggest moment in his reign so far," said Prescott. "There's so much in it. There's the Commonwealth element. There's the political element. There's the moment it is for Canada … that tightrope with the U.K." WATCH | The full throne speech: FULL SPEECH | King Charles delivers speech from the throne 15 hours ago Duration 28:24 King Charles, speaking from the Senate chamber on Tuesday, delivered a speech from the throne that acknowledged the worry that comes with a 'drastically changing world' — including a changing relationship between Canada and the U.S. But the speech also looked forward, pointing to government plans to increase affordability, take on major projects and build a strong economy that 'serves everyone.' In watching Charles, Prescott sees a "modern monarch" distinguishing himself from the 70-year reign of his mother, Queen Elizabeth. The throne speech Charles read, which included remarks outside those written by the Canadian government, was an "example of him delivering a sharper speech than Elizabeth II would," Prescott said. "Elizabeth II would have covered the same territory but in much more coded language. This speech didn't need to be decoded as such.… This was crystal clear and that's the big change, really." Prescott thought he detected a look of nervousness from Charles before he read the speech. "If you watch your mother do the state opening of Parliament in the U.K. — and that is a very dry speech — this is very much the Canadian equivalent. But he knew he was going to be saying much more than that. It's a much bigger moment." As much as Charles and Camilla were enthusiastically welcomed for the short visit, there are lingering questions. How much will the visit resonate with Canadians outside those who eagerly hit the streets of Ottawa to see them or who followed along from home? "I don't think we can anticipate that this is going to lead to any major shifts in Canadian sentiments about the monarchy, positive or negative," said Vovk, of McMaster University. "I think that some Canadians will see this visit as having been something good for Canada in the moment, but I think the level of comfortable indifference towards the monarchy … will largely stay where it is." No matter what level of success could be seen out of the visit, any endeavour can come with missed opportunities. "The brevity of the tour meant that it was very focused on Ottawa, on various points around the city," Harris said. "A longer tour would allow the King and Queen to visit more places in Canada, and interact with more Canadians and take in the full diversity of Canadian culture and society. "But this was a short, targeted royal visit, focused on delivering the throne speech. So it makes sense that this tour was quite focused on Ottawa." Amid all the enthusiasm shown for King Charles and Queen Camilla, there was one spot of protest, a moment that also left a mark for Vovk. "When there were the protesters at Lansdowne Park chanting, 'Not our King,' I was actually quite moved by the fact that this is Canada and they were able to do that and protest like that freely," he said. "And it was done in a peaceful way that you don't see in other places in North America. And I thought, what could be more representative of Canada than the ability to have two completely contradictory world views occupying the same space and to still be maintaining the peace?" Looking back at the visit Here's a look at how the first day of the visit went. And here's how Tuesday — the second and final day of the visit — unfolded. 'Pretty unbelievable' to meet the King again The Coronation Girls got to see King Charles a second time. "Not only did we have tea with the King in Buckingham Palace in December of 2023, but it was pretty unbelievable that his coming to Ottawa meant that a few of us could meet him again," Carol Shipley said via email. The Coronation Girls are the focus of a documentary feature film that premiered late last year and followed a dozen Canadian women while they were in England late in 2023. They were retracing the steps of a formative trip they made to the United Kingdom as teenagers at the time of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953. WATCH | The Coronation Girls remember a fateful trip: Coronation Girls share 70-year history with the Royal Family 1 day ago Duration 5:41 As King Charles arrives in Ottawa to deliver a historic speech from the throne, CBC's chief correspondent Adrienne Arsenault connects with a Canadian who shares a unique connection to the Royal Family that dates back to 1953. Three of the Coronation Girls were at Rideau Hall on Monday, watching Charles and Camilla plant a blue beech tree. "It was so fitting for King Charles to plant a tree — he was concerned about the environment long before most of us were thinking of it," Shipley, 89, of Ottawa, said. "At the palace, he and Yvonne Harris, a Coronation Girl from Yukon and more recently, Port Coquitlam, B.C., shared their passion and commitment to save the planet." Shipley recalled Yvonne telling Charles: "Trees are the lungs of our planet." Yvonne died two months ago, Shipley said. "We are especially grateful to His Majesty for coming to Canada at this important moment in our country's history to support us in our resolve to protect our sovereign nation from threat." What's the protocol? Those watching the royals can often wonder about the protocol involved with meeting them. And there was a moment on Tuesday that might have seemed a bit unusual ahead of the throne speech: Former governor general Michaëlle Jean led King Charles by the hand to meet Assembly of First Nations Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak. "On the one hand, the general protocol is that one doesn't do that: initiating physical contact, let alone physically leading members of the Royal Family," Vovk said via email. But there's also a sense that there are warm, close relationships between Charles and many of the previous governors general. "I suspect this incident falls somewhere between these two: Ms. Jean probably did overstep the broad protocols, but she may have been given consent by His Majesty to do so or felt she could based on their previous working relationship," Vovk said. Harris, the Toronto-based historian, said there is "often a relaxed atmosphere" on royal tours in Commonwealth realms. "King Charles III has embraced comparative informality on royal tours of Canada." Jean will likely receive media scrutiny based on coverage of past governors general and their interactions with the monarch, Harris said. "In 2017, Gov. Gen. David Johnston received extensive press coverage for lightly touching Queen Elizabeth II's elbow to help her down the stairs at Canada House." Royally quotable "As I have said before, 'Every time I come to Canada, a little more of Canada seeps into my bloodstream — and from there straight to my heart.'" — King Charles, in his speech from the throne delivered in the Canadian Senate on Tuesday.

King Charles, Queen Camilla greeted by sun and warm crowds in Ottawa on 1st day of royal tour
King Charles, Queen Camilla greeted by sun and warm crowds in Ottawa on 1st day of royal tour

CBC

time26-05-2025

  • Politics
  • CBC

King Charles, Queen Camilla greeted by sun and warm crowds in Ottawa on 1st day of royal tour

The Latest King Charles met in private with Prime Minister Mark Carney, Governor General Mary Simon and Indigenous leaders at Rideau Hall this afternoon. He and Queen Camilla took part in a tree planting ceremony at Rideau Hall, where the swearing-in of Camilla as a member of the King's Privy Council in Canada is taking place. Earlier, they went to Lansdowne Park, where they took part in a street hockey puck drop and met food vendors amid a crowd of hundreds. They landed in Ottawa earlier today. Tomorrow, Charles will deliver the speech from the throne in the Senate chamber to launch the 45th Parliament. The event will mark the third time a monarch delivers the throne speech in Canada. Charles's mother and predecessor, Queen Elizabeth II, read the speech in 1957 and 1977. The visit aims to underscore Canadian sovereignty amid tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Politics Insider: After touching down in Ottawa, Royal couple makes the rounds
Politics Insider: After touching down in Ottawa, Royal couple makes the rounds

Globe and Mail

time26-05-2025

  • Politics
  • Globe and Mail

Politics Insider: After touching down in Ottawa, Royal couple makes the rounds

Hello, welcome to Politics Insider. Let's look at what happened today. King Charles III and Queen Camilla have arrived in Ottawa, a day ahead of Canada's monarch delivering a Throne Speech that outlines the government's agenda. Prime Minister Mark Carney and his wife, Diana Fox Carney, were among those greeting the royal couple upon their afternoon arrival at Ottawa International Airport. The King and Queen subsequently proceeded to Lansdowne Park south of the downtown core of the national capital. There they met with gathered crowds, and the King dropped the puck at a children's street hockey game. They then travelled to Rideau Hall, the residence of the governor-general, for a tree-planting ceremony. Officials also announced mid-afternoon that the King and Queen were to meet with leaders of the three Indigenous organizations just after 5 p.m. ET: Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse; Natan Obed, who is president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami representing Inuit in Canada; and Métis National Council president Victoria Pruden. The Royal couple are scheduled to be at the downtown Senate complex on Tuesday morning where the King is set to deliver the Throne Speech, written by the Liberal government. Carney said in a statement today that the speech would detail planned effort to define a new Canadian economic and security relationship with the United States, build the strongest economy in the G7, bring down the cost of living, and keep communities safe. The Globe and Mail is providing live updates on the visit, accessible here. Also today, the House of Commons sat for the first time since December, and MPs elected Montreal-area Liberal MP Francis Scarpaleggia as Speaker. The Lac-Saint-Louis member will preside over the Commons after last month's federal election, when the Liberals were re-elected to form a minority government. As the Commons begins its work, Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon said the NDP will not be granted official party status because the law says a party needs at least 12 seats to be recognized. The NDP was reduced to just seven seats in the election. Ontario mining-bill dispute could lead to road, rail and mine blockades, First Nations chiefs warn: Provincial ministers say they have heard the outcry about Bill 5 and will make improvements, but won't commit to outright eliminate the proposed bill that seeks to speed up large mining projects in the north. Via Rail workers vote to give Unifor strong strike mandate: The union says members gave it a 97.5-per-cent strike mandate, raising the possibility of workers walking off the job next month. Reducing internal trade barriers top priority for businesses, poll shows: The KPMG poll also found that 82 per cent of business leaders believe the elimination of interprovincial trade barriers will improve their company's efficiency and productivity. Groups mount legal challenge against Ottawa over refugee treaty with U.S.: The bilateral agreement is premised on both countries being safe for asylum seekers. It prevents refugee claimants passing through the U.S. from seeking protection in Canada and vice versa. Ontario judge approves $500-million settlement in Loblaw, George Weston bread price-fixing case: Some Canadian shoppers may soon receive cash from the outcome of the class-action lawsuit that accused Loblaw Cos. Ltd. and its parent company George Weston Ltd. of engaging in an industry-wide scheme to fix the price of bread. Canada must boost productivity and housing affordability, OECD report says: The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development report says government spending and interest-rate cuts may be required if the economy deteriorates significantly, provided tariff-related inflationary pressures remain under control. Prime Minister's Day: Mark Carney participated in the election of the House of Commons Speaker, and then chaired a cabinet meeting. In the early afternoon, he welcomed King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Ottawa airport, then accompanied the royal couple to meeting with members of the public at Lansdowne Park. Carney also joined the royal couple as they planted a ceremonial tree on the grounds of Rideau Hall. And Carney had an audience with the King at Rideau Hall. Party Leaders: Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May and Interim NDP Leader Don Davies all attended the House of Commons sitting. Davies also held a news conference at the House of Commons. No schedule provided for Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre. 'A good Speaker knows when to keep their speeches short. I would ask that my name be withdrawn from the ballot, please.' - Conservative MP Chris d'Entremont, announcing in the Commons that he will not be running to serve as Speaker. The King is delivering the Throne Speech in Ottawa this week, taking on a responsibility normally fulfilled by the Governor General. Queen Elizabeth, the King's mother, was the last Canadian monarch to read the speech in Ottawa, something she did on Oct. 18, 1977. Who was the governor-general at that time? Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer. Treaties with the Crown are the foundation of Canada's sovereignty King Charles Throne Speech is a chance to rebuild the Canada-U.K. alliance Got a news tip that you'd like us to look into? E-mail us at tips@ Need to share documents securely? Reach out via SecureDrop. The answer to today's question: Jules Léger, a former diplomat, was the governor general on hand for the 1977 speech by Queen Elizabeth. Léger was the 21st governor general, serving between 1974 and 1979.

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