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Topic: King Charles defends Canadian sovereignty in rare speech to Parliament (Read 40 times) previous topic - next topic

King Charles defends Canadian sovereignty in rare speech to Parliament

The ceremonial highlight of King Charles III's visit to Canada was the historic royal carriage procession through downtown Ottawa. The King and Queen Camilla traveled in a meticulously restored 19th-century State Landau, making its debut after being discovered in a dilapidated state in St. Isidore, Quebec, and subsequently donated to the RCMP Musical Ride.[1] The black box-drawn carriage, escorted by mounted RCMP officers, carried the royal couple from the Bank of Canada to the Senate building along Wellington Street, where enthusiastic crowds gathered behind barricades to witness this rare spectacle.[2][3]

Upon arrival at the Senate of Canada building, King Charles received full military honors including a Royal Salute, a 100-person guard of honor from the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment, and a 21-gun salute.[4][5] The procession represented more than pageantry—it symbolized Canada's constitutional monarchy at a time of heightened tensions with the United States, with cheers of "God Save the King" heard from the crowd as the monarch inspected the honor guard.[5] This marked the first time a Canadian monarch had participated in such a ceremonial opening of Parliament since Queen Elizabeth II in 1977, underscoring the visit's significance as an affirmation of Canadian sovereignty.[6][5]

Citations:
[1] https://www.hilltimes.com/story/2025/05/27/crowds-gather-to-witness-royal-procession-for-throne-speech/461824/
[2] https://nationalpost.com/news/royals/canada-king-charles-throne-speech-queen-camilla
[3] https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/livestory/king-charles-queen-camilla-ride-on-horse-drawn-carriage-through-ottawa-to-senate-ahead-of-throne-speech-9.6774177
[4] https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/historic-rcmp-19th-century-carriage-carrying-king-and-queen-to-make-debut-during-royal-visit/
[5] https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/news/2025/05/itinerary-unveiled-for-the-2025-royal-visit-of-their-majesties-king-charles-iii-and-queen-camilla.html
[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_royal_tour_of_Canada
[7] https://halifax.citynews.ca/2025/05/27/the-latest-king-charles-to-read-throne-speech-after-parade-wraps-up-royal-visit/
[8] https://www.cjme.com/2025/05/27/the-latest-king-charles-to-read-throne-speech-after-parade-wraps-up-royal-visit/