Very rare ceremony in Canada: Charles: "Since the World War, the world has never been so dangerous"

Charles III is not only King of Great Britain, he is also the formal head of Canada. In an extremely rare speech from the throne in Canada, the monarch speaks of the "unprecedented challenges" facing the world. He also addresses a message to US President Trump – without mentioning him by name.

King Charles III sees Canada as a country at a crossroads amid threats of annexation by US President Donald Trump. "We must face reality: Since World War II, our world has never been more dangerous and unstable. Canada is facing challenges unprecedented in our lifetimes," said the country's formal head of state in his speech from the throne at the opening of the new parliament in the capital, Ottawa. Charles referred to Trump's hostile actions against Canada, but did not mention him by name.

However, the rapid changes in the world are also an "opportunity for Canada to initiate the greatest transformation of its economy since the Second World War," Charles continued. Prime Minister Mark Carney and US President Trump have begun to shape a new economic and security relationship between Canada and the United States. The King emphasized that this relationship is based on mutual respect between "the two sovereign nations."

The speech itself formally represents the statement of the Canadian government and Prime Minister Mark Carney, which is simply read aloud by the King. Charles received sustained applause and a standing ovation for the address.

Allusions to dispute with Trump

The visit is particularly relevant given Canada's political situation in the dispute with its neighbor, the United States. Trump has repeatedly expressed his interest in taking over the country in recent months. Charles's task was therefore seen as a balancing act, because on the one hand, he must emphasize Canada's independence, while, as King of Great Britain, he must also support the British government's pro-Trump stance.

Charles emphasized that Canada would change its foreign policy course: "The government is simultaneously working to strengthen its relationships with reliable trading partners and allies—knowing that Canada has what the world needs and defends the values ​​the world respects." This statement, too, could be interpreted as an allusion to the currently unreliable partnership with the White House.

"Canada is ready to build a coalition of nations that share these values," said Charles, who sat on a throne in the plenary during the speech. "This will be evident as early as June, when Canada hosts the G7 summit."

First throne speech in Ottawa in decades

The King and his wife, Camilla, were received with great pomp in the Canadian capital, Ottawa, on Monday. The following day, horses led the monarch's carriage escort to the country's parliament, where soldiers were lined up in honor of Charles III and cannon shots were fired.

Charles III's visit to Canada is of great symbolic significance. For the first time in decades, the monarch opened Parliament in Ottawa – a task he performs regularly in Great Britain but very rarely in Canada. It is only the third time a monarch has done so in Canada: Charles' mother, Queen Elizabeth II, performed the first in 1957 and delivered the speech again in 1977.

Canada is an independent state that has retained the monarchy within the Commonwealth of Nations. The King is recognized as such by the Canadian Constitution, thus embodying a constitutional bond between Canada and the United Kingdom. For Charles, the visit is also an opportunity to promote the value of the monarchy to skeptical Canadians.