Why King Charles is visiting Canada to deliver the throne speech

CBC

26-05-2025

His first official visit as King
⭐️HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW⭐️
On May 27, King Charles will read the speech from the throne in Ottawa.
The speech is part of the opening of the new session of Parliament.
It is the first time Charles has visited Canada since he became King.
It's the first time since 1977 that a monarch has read the speech.
Read on to learn more about the visit's historic significance. ⬇️⬇️⬇️
King Charles and Queen Camilla arrive in Canada today.
King Charles is set to read the speech from the throne to open Parliament on May 27 in Ottawa, Ontario.
Charles is King of Canada and the country's head of state, though the role is mostly ceremonial.
It will be the first visit for King Charles since he was crowned in 2022.
It will also be the first time in almost 50 years that the reigning monarch will deliver the throne speech, and the first time it will be done by a king.
'He's the first king to ever read it, but he's also doing it at a really important moment in our history,' said Justin Vovk, a royal historian from Hamilton, Ontario.
Recent tensions with the United States and economic concerns have 'many Canadians worried about the future,' said Vovk.
'The monarchy has been around for 1,000 years and so it provides a sense that our political system is strong and it will continue.'
What is the speech from the throne?
The speech from the throne opens Parliament and lays out the government's expected direction and goals.
The speech happens after a general election or after Parliament has been prorogued.
The governor general usually reads the speech, on behalf of the monarch, as their representative in Canada.
The last speech from the throne was read by Governor General Mary Simon in 2021.
What is a throne speech?
Governor General Mary Simon read the previous speech from the throne in 2021. The governor general typically reads the speech as the monarch's representative in Canada. (Image credit: Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)
This new session of Parliament will open on May 27.
The throne speech will outline newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney's minority Liberal government's plans for the future.
King's visit on heels of Trump '51st state' threats
Carney invited the King to visit the capital and read the speech.
The King is only allowed to visit Canada on the invitation of the Prime Minister, said Vovk.
'This historic honour matches the weight of our times,' said Carney in a statement issued on May 2.
King Charles and Queen Camilla recently visited Canada House Trafalgar Square, in London, United Kingdom. The royal couple are set to visit Canada for the first time since Charles became King. (Image credit: Arthur Edwards/The Associated Press)
In a press conference, Carney said the King's visit underscores Canada's sovereignty.
The visit comes after repeated statements from U.S. President Donald Trump about making Canada the 51st state.
However, Vovk said he doesn't think this visit is meant to provoke Trump.
Historic moment
The last time a monarch read Canada's speech from the throne was in 1977, almost 50 years ago.
Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles's mother, read it while visiting Canada to mark her Silver Jubilee, which celebrated 25 years on the throne.
Before that, she delivered the speech in 1957 to mark her first visit to Canada as a reigning monarch. That was the first time a monarch opened Canada's Parliament.
WATCH — Why Canada has a Royal Family and a King
Charles became King of Canada upon his mother's death in 2022. This will be his 20th visit to the country but his first as monarch.
This visit could be a test to see how the Canadian public reacts to their new king, Vovk said.
'Charles has, and I think he's known this from Day 1, a real uphill battle with his public image and popularity,' he said.
Bloc Québécois calls invitation 'strange'
While royal-watchers might be lining up to catch a glimpse of the King and Queen, not everyone is happy about this visit.
Some of those critics are Quebec nationalists, who reject the British monarchy.
The Bloc Québécois, a Quebec nationalist party, issued a statement in French calling Carney's invitation to the King 'strange'.
The statement said Carney's decision is "revealing of Liberal values," and those are "irreconcilable with those of Quebecers."