Charles III has to prove he's truly King of Canada
As Canada faces an existential threat, its monarch must come to its defence
Tomorrow is Flag Day. Normally, the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Maple Leaf would be a minor event in Canada. Not now. Flags are flying across the country in reaction to President Donald Trump repeatedly threatening to impose crippling tariffs as a way to absorb the northern realm into his country.
Right now, the battles are being fought by politicians. Eventually, Canada’s head of state will have to take a public stance on the issue (after carefully asking for and receiving the advice of his Canadian prime minister). Charles III may get a reprieve for much of this year as Canada is in the midst of the Ontario provincial election and will have a federal election in coming months. That political cover won’t last for ever.
Next year, King Charles III and Queen Camilla are expected to be in North America for major tours of Canada and the United States. The Canadian visit, delayed from 2024 due to the King’s health, would be the first by a monarch of Canada since his mother’s last visit in 2010. The report by Russell Myers of the Daily Mirror —“King Charles to be drafted in on 'charm offensive' US trip to smooth Trump relations” — highlights the importance of the visit to the American president.
The American part of the trip may be important to the United Kingdom. However, Charles III’s role as King of Canada means he could end up playing an outsized role as tensions ratchet up between the United States and Canada. This is when being a monarch to 15 separate realms becomes tricky, for what what is good for the United Kingdom is likely to collide with demands from Canada.
Given the threat that Trump poses to Canada’s very existence, the trip may prove to be the most important visit by a Canadian monarch since the first in 1939 on the eve of the Second World War (well, at least for Canada and Britain, which were at war against the Nazis later that year; it took the U.S. until December 1941 to join their fight).
It will also be a test of how well Charles III, his aides, and advisors navigate Canadian politics.
In the face of an existential threat from Trump, anything less than a full-throated defence of Canada and its sovereignty by the King of Canada will be seen as a betrayal by the people of Canada. Every action, decision, and remark will be dissected and analyzed.
The foundations of Canadian social and political discourse have shifted dramatically in the past few weeks, as polls reflect. For one, pride in Canada is surging, even in Quebec, which saw a 13 point jump in national pride in just two months, according to an Angus Reid poll.
Russell Myers reports that the trip will start in Canada. Nothing else would suffice. Not only does the visit to Canada have to come before the American one, but it has to be perceived as both longer and better than the U.S. leg. Two days in Ottawa followed by six in the United States would be a death knell to the Canadian Crown. Ditto any sign of mealy-mouthed diplomatic double-speak (yup, it’s that serious).
The Americans (and most Canadians, for that matter) must be made to understand that Canada is a constitutional monarchy and King Charles III is the King of Canada.
To get through to a president obsessed with appearance, that means going all out on pomp and ceremony — the RCMP Musical Ride need to play a prominent role; military drill has to be impeccable; get the state landau out of storage; schedule formal events worthy of white ties and tiaras, as well as informal events, where the King and Queen are surrounded by throngs of Canadians in a way that doesn’t exist for American presidents.
Ditch “worthwhile Canadian initiatives” for the most eye-catching, breathtaking tour ever arranged. Every venue has to be steeped in symbolism and/or history and provide spectacular images for the media to transmit around the world.
The medium is very much the message.
Crown expert Philippe Lagassé has a few good suggestions in a social media thread:
“Have the King come to Canada, unveil the $20 with his image on it, open a session of Parliament, grant assent to a few bill. Go all out to make a point.”
“Have him fly into DC on an RCAF CC-330 Husky with a giant Cdn flag on it.”
This would not be the first time that the Canadian monarch has visited the United States after being in Canada. In 1957, Queen Elizabeth II went to Ottawa for her first visit as monarch. She opened Parliament, the first time that was done by a reigning monarch. To emphasize the importance of that moment, she wore her coronation gown, embroidered with realm imagery including maple leaves, as well as the coronation necklace and Vladimir tiara.
During the visit, she emphasized her role as Queen of Canada by wearing a Norman Hartnell evening gown adorned with green maple leaves, which is now part of the collection of the Canadian Museum of History.
Then, accompanied by her Canadian Prime Minister, John Diefenbaker, the Queen of Canada left Canada for Washington, D.C.
Before she left Canada, the Queen made clear her title of Queen of Canada in a national broadcast: “I shall be going in other capacities as well but when you hear or read about events in Washington, I want you to reflect that it is the Queen of Canada and her husband who are concerned in them.”
So if I can offer one piece of advice to Buckingham Palace as they begin thinking about next year’s trips: Count how many times Charles III references being the King of Canada and what his northern realm means to him. Because Canadians will be keeping track.
My latest Royal Roundup on Global TV’s The Morning Show on Feb 10: