Mike Crisolago | May 2nd, 2025
King Charles III and Queen Camilla, seen here in April, will visit Canada later this month. The two-day visit (May 26-27) will see Charles open Parliament and read the speech from the throne – the first time a British monarch has taken on the duty since his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, did so in 1977. Photo: Chris Jackson / Getty Images for Buckingham Palace
The King and Queen are coming to Canada to open the 45th Parliament later this month.
Prime Minister Mark Carney broke the news during a press conference today – his first since his Liberal Party won the federal election earlier this week.
“We will have the privilege of welcoming His Majesty King Charles III, who will deliver Canada’s Speech from the Throne on May 27,” Carney said. “Her Majesty The Queen will join this visit. This is an historic honour, which matches the weight of our times.”
Carney added that he made the initial request for King Charles to deliver the speech from the throne, and that the monarch accepted. Carney said that the visit “clearly underscores the sovereignty of our country.”
Charles, who confirmed the May 26-May 27 Canadian visit via the Royal Family’s social media, has shown support for Canada in recent months as it addresses sovereignty threats from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Despite his role as Canada’s head of state, the British monarch traditionally does not comment on political matters. As such, his nods to Canada have proven more subtle and symbolic.
In February, he marked the 60th anniversary of the Canadian flag by releasing a statement saying “it has become internationally recognized as a symbol of a proud, resilient and compassionate country.”
In March, he specifically wore his Canadian medals while inspecting the HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier, just one day after meeting with then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. As Zoomer noted at the time, that was followed a week later by the planting of a maple tree at Buckingham Palace “to honour Queen Elizabeth’s commitment to the preservation of forests and the bonds among Commonwealth nations.”
That month he also gifted Gregory Peters, the Usher of the Black Rod in the Canadian Senate, a ceremonial sword, and met with Prime Minister Mark Carney at Buckingham Palace following his election as federal Liberal leader.
When he visits Canada with Queen Camilla later this month, Charles will become the first British monarch to open a session of Canadian Parliament since his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, did so in 1977 and 1957. The task usually falls to the governor general, who takes on the responsibility on behalf of the reigning monarch.
Queen Elizabeth II also famously helped Canada repatriate its Constitution in April 1982, visiting Parliament Hill to sign the Constitution Act.
Of course, the British Royal Family and Canada have enjoyed more than a century of close-knit relations, from the storied horsey history between the royals and the RCMP, seven decades of visits from Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, and Charles’ own visits over the years – where one photographer captured the then-future King doing everything from riding a public transit bus in Toronto to meeting wool weavers in Nova Scotia.
Charles’ most recent Canadian visit occurred in 2022, in honour of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.
Princess Charlotte Turns 10
Amidst the excitement around the announcement of the royal visit to Canada, the King and Queen’s granddaughter, Princess Charlotte, turned 10 on Friday.
Her parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, shared a new photo of Charlotte taken by her mother during a recent family trip to Cumbria. In the photo, the young princess is all smiles while sitting on a grassy hillside wearing a camo jacket and backpack.
Photo: Courtesy Instagram/princeandprincessofwales
The caption read: “Happy 10th Birthday Princess Charlotte!”
The King and Queen also shared the photo on their social media.
Charlotte’s milestone birthday came during a busy few weeks of celebrations for the Royal Family, which included the seventh birthday of her brother, Prince Louis, last Wednesday (April 23) and then Will and Kate’s 14th wedding anniversary on Tuesday (April 29).
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