King Charles III and Queen Camilla are in Canada for a two-day visit. It’s their first trip to my country since the coronation. They’ve enjoyed touring parts of the nation’s capital, Ottawa. They’ve met with dignitaries and political leaders, and been greeted by large crowds that, in the words of the Ottawa Citizen, would be described as ‘exuberant.’
The main reason for King Charles’s visit is of historical importance and relevance to both Britain and Canada. His Majesty was invited by Prime Minister Mark Carney to deliver the throne speech for his Liberal government. It’s only the third time in Canadian history this has ever occurred, and the first time in decades. Charles is also the first king to have ever opened a new session of the Canadian parliament.
This ceremonial role is traditionally performed by the governor general of Canada, who serves as the federal representative of the Canadian monarch. The current governor general is Mary Simon, the first indigenous person to hold this office, who was appointed by former prime minister Justin Trudeau in 2021.
It’s been quite a while since a British monarch assumed that role. The last time was 1977. The late Queen Elizabeth II, who had first delivered a throne speech in Canada in 1957, was kind enough to do it two decades later on the occasion of her Silver Jubilee.
‘In ten visits together in Canada, spread over a quarter of a century, seven in the last decade alone,’ Queen Elizabeth’s statement said in part, ‘Prince Philip and I have met many thousands of Canadians in all walks of life, of all ages, in every province and territory. My happiest memories of our travels throughout Canada have been these individual contacts, which have revealed the enormous strength and astonishing diversity of this nation.’
King Charles, similar to his late mother, will likely read something that’s short on words and long on the political and historical ties between Canada and Britain. He may even invoke some of his special memories of the Great White North.
His first trip to Canada occurred in 1970. The Globe and Mail observed at the time, ‘He had never been in North America before, but he appeared totally at ease.’ He’s always enjoyed the scenic views of the Canadian landscape, including in the Northwest Territories. He went ice diving in 1975, noting in his personal journal that ‘there were fascinating ice crystal formations and icicles suspended under the ice and inside the layers of these wafer thin crystal structures were large white shrimp-like creatures.’ He had a well-publicised 1983 trip to Canada with Princess Diana as well as a ski trip to Whistler, B.C. with Prince William and Prince Harry that attracted media attention.
Charles’s first official visit with Camilla in 2009 held a special meaning for the royal couple, too.
Camilla’s great-great-great-grandfather, Sir Allan Napier MacNab, served as joint premier (or prime minister) of the Province of Canada between 1854-1856. A Tory by political persuasion, he was a lawyer, military regiment leader, property investor and land speculator. Sir Charles Bagot, who served as British ambassador to the US, Russia and Netherlands as well as governor general of the Province of Canada from 1841-1843, once suggested that MacNab was ‘a huge proprietor, perhaps the largest in the country.’
Charles and Camilla visited MacNab’s official residence, Dundurn Castle, located in Hamilton, Ont. It’s been designated as a national historic site and also houses the Hamilton Military Museum. Visitors come during certain months of the year, and there are opportunities for guided tours, weddings and birthday parties on the grounds. (I’ve been to Dundurn Castle, and can fully attest to its beauty and charm.)
When King Charles and Queen Camilla depart Canada later today, it will hopefully be a trip they look back on with some fondness. Let’s hope that Canadians always fondly remember the time that His Majesty opened a new parliamentary session.
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