King Carlos III received a foot ovation from Canadian legislators on Tuesday when he opened a new Parliament session in Ottawa, saying: “All Canadians occur much more than any foreign power or any continent can remove.”
The 76 -year -old king is the first leader of the British monarchy invited to pronounce the throne’s speech to open a new Parliament session since his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, did so in 1977.
The speech came at a time when President Donald Trump has slapped Tariffs to Canada and has repeatedly suggested that he should become the 51st state of the United States.
King Charles pronounces the throne speech in the Senate in Ottawa, Canada, on May 27, 2025.
Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press through AP
The king acknowledged that the challenges faced by Canada are not preceded in our lives. “
“Many Canadians feel anxious and worried about the world drastically changes around them. The fundamental change is always disturbing,” Charles said while his wife, Queen Camilla, sat next to her in front of the members of Parliament. “However, this moment is also an incredible opportunity, an opportunity for renewal, an opportunity to think big and act bigger, an opportunity for Canada to embark on the greater transformation of its economy since World War II.”
King Carlos III receives an ovation standing after finishing the discourse of the throne that opens the 45th Parliament of Canada during an official visit to Canada, on May 27, 2025 in Ottawa, Ontario.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
The King added: “A confident Canada, who has welcomed new Canadians, even in some of the most tragic global conflict zones, can take advantage of this opportunity by recognizing that all Canadians give much more than any foreign power in any continent can take away.”
The throne’s speech is traditionally written by the Canadian government and pronounced to Parliament by the governor of the country. But the newly elected prime minister, Mark Carney, invited Charles to give the speech, telling journalists, the King’s visit to Canada “clearly underlines the sovereignty of our country.”
King Carlos III of Great Britain reads his speech when he opens the first session of the 45th Parliament of Canada in the Canada Senate in Ottawa, on May 27, 2025.
Ben Stansall/Pool/AFP through Getty Images
“This is a historical honor that coincides with the weight of our times,” said Carney at a April press conference after he and his liberal party won the elections.
In what will probably be seen as a message for Trump, Charles emphasized in his speech on Tuesday that Canada must continue to be “strong and free.”
The King of Great Britain, Charles, delivers the throne’s speech with Queen Camilla and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the Senate Chamber in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on May 27, 2025.
Ben Punching/Pool through Reuters
Charles added: “By staying faithful to Canadian values, Canada can build new alliances and a new economy that serves all Canadians.”
The king pointed out that Carney, who visited the White House on May 6, and Trump “began to define a new economic and security relationship between Canada and the United States, rooted in mutual respect and founded on common interests to offer transformative benefits for both superign nations.”
But Trump has repeatedly said that he would like to attach Canada to the United States and made fun of the previous Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, as “Governor” Trudeau.
The Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, meets King Carlos III and Queen Camilla while attending the state opening of the Parliament of Canada, in Ottawa, Canada, on May 27, 2025.
Victoria Jones/Pool through Reuters
Delivering his speech in French and English, the king said that Canada faces a “critical moment.” Looking at the members of Parliament, Charles called them the “guardians of fundamental rights and freedoms.”
“Democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, self -determination and freedom are values that Canadians appreciate and those that the government is determined to protect,” Charles said.
He added: “The global trade system, although not perfect, has helped offer prosperity for Canadians for decades, is changing. Canada’s relations with the partners are changing.”
King Charles inspects an honor guard in the Canada Senate building in Ottawa, Canada, before reading the throne speech during a real visit, on May 27, 2025.
Justin Tang/The Canadian Press through AP
The king mentioned that Canada will organize the G7 summit next month and talked about the benefits of open trade instead of the tariff war that began the Trump administration.
Charles said Canada is “ready to build a coalition of related countries that share their values, which believe in international cooperation and the free and open exchange of goods, services and ideas.”
“To be really strong, Canada must be safe. For that purpose, the Government will introduce legislation to improve the security at Canada’s borders. The agencies of application of the law and intelligence will have new tools to stop the flow of fentanil and its precursors,” Charles said, apparently referring to the complaints of the Trump administration that Canada is not doing enough to stop the smuggling of the United States in the United States.
The speech wrapped the trip of Charles and Queen Camilla to Canada. He scored Charles’s twenty visit to the country, but the first as king.
“As I said before, every time I come to Canada, a little more Canada filters in my bloodstream and from there to my heart,” Charles said.
ABC News Zoe Magee contributed to this report.
