King Charles defends Canadian sovereignty in speech to Parliament
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla attend tree planting ceremony at Rideau Hall on May 26 in Ottawa, Canada. Photo: Mert Alper Dervis/Anadolu via Getty Images
King Charles III delivered several subtle jabs to the United States and the Trump administration during his speech to Canada's Parliament on Tuesday, saying a "confident Canada" can "give themselves far more than any foreign power can ever take away."
Why it matters: Canada has been in President Trump's crosshairs for months as Trump has expressed interest in annexing the U.S.' northern neighbor and engaged the allied nation in a whirlwind tariff war.
- "Canada has what the world needs and the values the world respects," Charles said during the "Speech from the Throne," which marks the start of Canada's Parliamentary session.
- While Charles delivered the speech from the Canadian Senate chamber, the text was written by the office of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, as is tradition for commonwealth countries.
Driving the news: Charles never mentioned Trump by name in his speech, and the only direct reference to the United States came when he spoke of Canada and the U.S. working on a "new economic and security relationship."
- That relationship must be "rooted in mutual respect and rooted in common interests to deliver transformational benefits for both sovereign nations."
- Much of the speech outlined Carney's aims for Canada under his leadership, often highlighting the desire for the nation to stand on its own, beyond the large shadow cast by the U.S.
- Charles did touch upon the ongoing trade war between the two nations, telling assembled lawmakers that Canada will "unleash a new era of growth that will ensure we don't just survive ongoing trade wars but emerge from them stronger than ever."
The intrigue: Trump has repeatedly blamed Canada for allowing fentanyl to cross the border into the U.S., and Charles, in turn, blamed America for the flood of illegal guns into Canada.
- The government will deploy canine teams, helicopters and drones to "stem the tide of illegal guns and drugs across the border," Charles said.
- According to a report from the Criminal Intelligence Service of Ottawa, approximately 76% of the guns seized in Canada between 2022 and 2024 were traced back to the U.S.
Zoom out: The trip to Canada is Charles' first since becoming monarch and comes strategically amid Trump's repeated threats to Canadian sovereignty.
- The Liberal Party rose in popularity during this year's Canadian election, largely in response to Trump's threats to annex or tariff the country.
- Liberals seemed on the verge of losing power for the first time in a decade, following dissatisfaction with former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
State of play: Carney has continuously rejected Trump's claims that Canada could become America's 51st state.
- In April, the prime minister said the previous relationship between the two nations — where each worked to integrate with the other — is over.
Zoom out: Charles was the second British monarch to give the speech to Parliament. Queen Elizabeth II delivered the speech twice in her reign, during visits in 1957 and 1977.
- Usually, the speech is delivered by the governor-general, who serves as the monarch's representative in Canada.
Go deeper: What to know about King Charles' Canada speech and how it relates to Trump
