Latest news with #strongandfree
LBCI
3 days ago
- General
- LBCI
King Charles expresses love for Canada, says it will remain 'strong and free'
King Charles, speaking during a symbolic visit to show support for Canada at a time it has faced U.S. annexation threats, on Tuesday expressed his love for Canada and said the country would remain "strong and free." Charles, Canada's head of state, is the first British monarch in almost 70 years to preside over the opening of the Canadian parliament. In a speech, Charles referred to the "the country that Canadians and I love so much." "The True North is indeed strong and free," Charles said, referring to the Canadian national anthem. Reuters
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
King's speech marks a diplomatic victory for Canada
If they were keeping score, it would be Canada 1, United States 0. The King today stood in the Canadian parliament to declare the country 'strong and free', following President Donald Trump's threat of annexation He said: 'The Crown has for so long been a symbol of unity for Canada. 'It also represents stability and continuity from the past to the present. 'As it should, it stands proudly as a symbol of Canada today, in all her richness and dynamism. 'As the anthem reminds us: The True North is indeed strong and free!' The 'strong and free' line was met with a round of applause – despite rules stating that parliamentarians should not react during the speech – and he received a standing ovation at the end. It will be deeply pleasing to prime minister Mark Carney – whose government wrote the speech and advised on even the King's most personal-sounding words. Mr Carney has told Mr Trump publicly that his country is 'not for sale, ever'. The Royal visit to Canada lasted just shy of 24 hours, but it made its mark. The priorities, say those organising, included meeting as many Canadian people as possible. The King and Queen – who wore the diamond maple leaf brooch and the brooch of the Canadian Rifles, her regiment – met representatives of local charities and went home with two bottles of maple syrup bought at a market. During their first engagement, a walkabout, they were met with 'thanks for coming' and the clear message: 'Welcome home.' There were the obligatory meetings with the governor general, indigenous leaders, and Mr Carney, who spent so much time with the royal party that he joked the King was 'always getting stuck' with him. The final engagement was a wreath laying at the National War Memorial, the staple of every royal visit, before wheels up on the Canadian Royal Air Force jet and back to RAF Brize Norton. The King will take a few days off, and will likely reflect on a diplomatic challenge pulled off. Ahead of the visit, a palace source said: 'Hopefully he will be able to bring the wisdom, experience and personal relationships to bear, to smooth over any wrinkles without it being a provocation.' That seems to have come to pass. Mr Carney will be delighted to have conveyed his 'Canada Strong' message via the monarch. The press reports afterwards ranged from calling it an 'expression of love' for Canada, to a 'warning shot' to Mr Trump' and a 'masterclass'. It is subtle enough that the UK government and palace can steer away from accusations that it was a direct rebuke to US rhetoric. But the message was unmistakable. The King of Canada has reminded the world that it is, indeed, not for sale.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
King Charles tells Canadian parliament that country will stay 'strong and free'
King Charles presided over the opening of the Canadian parliament on Tuesday, the first British monarch to do so in almost 70 years. Among the attendees were former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau and current prime minister, Mark Carney. Charles expressed his love for Canada and said the country would remain 'strong and free' – a reference to the Canadian national anthem. His comments came amid Donald Trump's repeated annexation threats and tariff policies.
Reuters
3 days ago
- General
- Reuters
King Charles expresses love for Canada, says it will remain 'strong and free'
OTTAWA, May 27 (Reuters) - King Charles, speaking during a symbolic visit to show support for Canada at a time it has faced U.S. annexation threats, on Tuesday expressed his love for Canada and said the country would remain "strong and free". Charles, Canada's head of state, is the first British monarch in almost 70 years to preside over the opening of the Canadian parliament. In a speech, Charles referred to the "the country that Canadians and I love so much" but made no direct reference to U.S. President Donald Trump, who has imposed tariffs on Canadian exports and muses about turning Canada into the 51st U.S. state. "The True North is indeed strong and free," Charles said, referring to the Canadian national anthem. The speech outlining the government's plans for the next session was largely written by officials working for Prime Minister Mark Carney. But Charles was responsible for the comments about his love for Canada.
