The King once again showed his affection for Canada after receiving two senior figures from the country’s parliament yesterday.
Following his meeting last week with outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the monarch – who is also Canada’s head of state – welcomed the ‘Canadian Usher of the Black Rod’, Greg Peters, and the Speaker of the Canadian senate, Raymonde Gagne, to Buckingham Palace.
Ostensibly the meeting was to bestow a new ceremonial sword on the usher, commissioned by the Senate in His Majesty’s honour to mark his accession to the throne.
While it was a long-standing engagement, it was also considered a chance for King Charles to reaffirm his support and love for Canada and its people.
King Charles meets Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk on March 3, 2025
The King also welcomed the ‘Canadian Usher of the Black Rod’, Greg Peters (left), and the Speaker of the Canadian senate, Raymonde Gagne (right), to Buckingham Palace
Ostensibly the meeting was to bestow a new ceremonial sword on the usher, commissioned by the Senate in His Majesty’s honour to mark his accession to the throne
It is understood that there was a ‘warm exchange of greetings’ – in both French and English from the King – and that he ‘shared his profound personal thanks for such a thoughtful gesture’.
It was followed by half an hour of talks on ‘topics of great concern to all parties, both nationally and internationally’.
Buckingham Palace declined to comment on any details of what was discussed as it was a ‘private audience’.
As a constitutional monarch the king cannot comment on current tensions between Canada and the US, but sources have made clear in recent days that he is able to show his backing through ‘deed if not word’.
It comes as His Majesty has also been tasked by the government of woo-ing President Trump with a private visit to Scotland this summer and a forthcoming historic state visit.
A royal source said it would have been unusual if the King and Trump had not discussed the US president’s controversial trade tariffs with Canada and sovereignty.
Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of making Canada the 51st US state.
On Tuesday, he threatened to double his planned tariffs on steel and aluminium for Canada but later halted the plan.
The incoming Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney, has vowed to keep retaliatory tariffs in place until the US commits to free trade.
The premier of Alberta, Danielle Smith, last week told The Telegraph the king, as head of state, has a duty to confront Trump.
She said: ‘We sing “God save the King” every week when we’re in legislature.
‘I swear an oath to the King, our cabinet secrecy is affirmed by our oath to the King, and we’ve got him on our bank notes.
‘So I think he should have something to say about [Trump’s campaign to absorb Canada], because it is, I think, a direct confrontation to British sovereignty.’
