King Charles just stuck it to President Donald Trump in Canada.
Charles and Queen Camilla landed in Canada on Monday for a momentous two-day trip in the face of Trump’s repeated assertions that the U.S. would one day annex its North American neighbor as its 51st state.
The royal couple flew to Canada at the invitation of new Prime Minister Mark Carney, who pulled off a win in April after pitching himself as the best man to take on Trump’s annexation threats and sprawling trade war. The king is Canada’s head of state.
“The Royal Visit is a reminder of the bond between Canada and the Crown—one forged over generations, shaped by shared histories, and grounded in common values,” Carney said in a statement.
The visit marks Charles’ first trip to Canada since becoming king in 2022. More than 1,000 Canadian citizens greeted the royal couple at Ottawa’s Lansdowne Park, where Charles kicked things off by dropping a ceremonial puck at a street hockey game.
At Rideau Hall, the official residence of the monarchs in Canada, the king and queen planted a blue beech tree to honor their visit. More than 150 commemorative trees decorate the grounds, including four planted by Charles when he was Prince of Wales and five by his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported that as Charles dug into the soil, onlookers burst into song, delivering renditions of “God Save the King” and “O Canada,” the national anthems of the United Kingdom and Canada, respectively.
King Charles will deliver a speech in the Senate chamber on Tuesday outlining the government‘s plans for the economy, public safety, and relations with the U.S. under Trump.
The address, called the Speech from the Throne, is typically read by Canada’s governor general on behalf of the prime minister and inaugurates a new parliament. This time, Carney invited the king to deliver it. The last time a monarch gave such a speech was when Queen Elizabeth delivered it in 1977.
“This historic honor matches the weight of our times,” Carney said of the royal visit. “It speaks to our enduring tradition and friendship, to the vitality of our constitutional monarchy and our distinct identity, and to the historic ties that crises only fortify.”
Carney met with Trump at the White House earlier this month for a meeting that the U.S. president used as an opportunity to reiterate his desire for annexation.
A March poll found that 85 percent of Canadians across all regions, political parties, and age groups strongly rejected Trump‘s “51st state” overtures.
“As you know from real estate, there are some places that are never for sale,” Carney told Trump. “We’re sitting in one right now... And having met with the owners of Canada over the course of the campaign the last several months, it’s not for sale, it won’t be for sale, ever. But the opportunity is in the partnership and what we can build together.”
