Ceremonial touch enthuses Canadians to the throne speech by King Charles
Blending royalty with solemnity, King Charles endorsed Prime Minister Mark Carney’s vow to protect Canadian sovereignty by reinforcing its defence line while redefining the relationship with its neighbour and big brother, the United States.
It was only for the third time since 1957 that the Monarch read out the throne speech at a ceremony marked by gaiety, rich military traditions and rare ceremonies attached to royal visits to the sovereign.
The speech from the throne not only laid out the government’s priorities for the new Parliament, the King also used the occasion to give a personal message to Canadians about his connection to Canada.
“Every time I come to Canada, a little more of Canada seeps into my bloodstream and from there, straight to my heart,” he said.
The speech mentioned Canadian sovereignty several times, and the King finished his address by saying, “As the anthem reminds us, the true North is indeed strong and free.”
The throne speech also ratified that Canada would join the Rearm Europe plan — a major defence procurement project to ramp up arms production in Europe, indicating a reduction in Canada’s reliance on the U.S. as a source of military equipment. King Charles’ speech has come at a time after months of U.S. President Donald Trump calling for Canada’s annexation and deploying tariffs against U.S. allies.
The King said Canada faces “unprecedented challenges” as the world changes and as relationships with key allies come under pressure. “The world is now a more dangerous and uncertain place than at any point since the Second World War,” he said, holding that while Canadians feel anxious about the future, the moment also brings an “opportunity for renewal.”
The King is the first reigning British monarch to read the speech from the throne since his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, delivered the speech in 1977.
Inset (Box)
Montreal-based Indian businessman Baljit Singh Chadha could not have asked for more. He was one of the select leaders of the Indian community invited to attend the solemn ceremony. Sharing his experiences of attending the rarest of rare ceremony, Baljit Singh Chadha said: “Attending the Speech from the Throne delivered by His Majesty King Charles III in the Senate of Canada, marking the opening of the 45th Parliament, was one of the proudest and most meaningful moments of my life.
“The speech was a defining moment for the future of our country. I urge all Canadians to set aside our differences and come together to continue building a stronger, more united Canada — a nation founded by the English, the French, and the Indigenous peoples.
“It was a great honour for me when, as His Majesty exited the Senate and passed in front of me, I greeted him with ‘Sat Sri Akal,’ and he respectfully folded his hands in return.
“Prime Minister Carney, walking just behind the King, also acknowledged me with a similar gesture,” said Baljit Singh Chadha, who was the first one to organise a meeting of leading captains of Canadian industry and business of Indian origin when Mark Carney launched his leadership campaign before he was elected the new leader of the Liberal Party in April this year.
The Royalty started the second day of its Canadian visit on Tuesday by travelling in Canada’s state landau past crowds of admirers in front of Parliament Hill. King Charles was attired in a dark blue striped suit with the Order of Canada around his neck, with his customary medal array. Sitting next to him, the Queen was wearing a navy blue dress and hat.
The Governor General, Mary Simon and her husband, Whit Fraser, joined the King and the Queen as the landau was escorted down Wellington Street in Ottawa by mounted RCMP officers.
The King and Queen arrived shortly after 10 a.m. at the Senate building, where the King received full military honours and a 100-person honour guard from the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment.
The ceremony included an inspection of the guard and band and a 21-gun salute.
Once the ceremonies and the speech were over, the King shook hands in gathered crowds alongside the Queen.
The royal couple also visited the National War Memorial, where a trumpeter played the Last Post and a band played the national anthems of Canada and the United Kingdom.
The King laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, while the Queen placed flowers atop. They again shook hands with dignitaries before entering a motorcade and making their way to the airport to leave Canada following the two-day visit.
King Charles had earlier made 18 official visits to Canada as the Prince of Wales. This was his first trip to Canada since his coronation.
Captions for pictures/video sent earlier are courtesy of Baljit Singh Chadha.
(Prabhjot Singh is a veteran journalist with over three decades of experience of 14 years with Reuters News and 30 years with The Tribune Group, covering a wide spectrum of subjects and stories. He has covered Punjab and Sikh affairs for more than three decades besides covering seven Olympics and several major sporting events and hosting TV shows.)
