King Charles has arrived in Ottawa to formally open Canada’s 45th parliament, becoming the first reigning monarch in Canadian history to deliver a throne speech. His visit, at the invitation of Prime Minister Mark Carney, is seen as both symbolic support for Canada’s sovereignty and a subtle counterpoint to recent provocative statements by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly suggested annexing Canada as the 51st U.S. state.

Charles’s presence, though largely ceremonial, arrives at a moment of reflection for Canada’s political identity and historic relationship with the monarchy. Though constitutionally limited in speech and influence, the king’s attire—including Canadian military insignia—and recent symbolic gestures like planting a red maple tree at Buckingham Palace are being interpreted as quiet affirmations of solidarity.

However, Indigenous leaders are emphasizing the deeper significance of the royal visit. They see it as a powerful reminder of the nation’s foundational treaties between Indigenous peoples and the British crown—agreements that, they argue, have been neglected through colonial-era laws like the Indian Act. “The treaties are sacred,” said Perry Bellegarde, former national chief of the Assembly of First Nations. “They were meant to last forever. This visit is a call to honour them.”

Despite ceremonial optics, Charles’s visit reignites debate over Canada’s constitutional monarchy. A majority of Canadians favor abolishing the monarchy, but the constitutional process to do so—requiring unanimous consent from all 10 provinces and both federal chambers—makes such change improbable.

Incorporating Indigenous ceremonies such as the lighting of the qulliq and music from a young Métis performer ahead of the throne speech, the royal visit intertwines tradition with contemporary calls for recognition and reconciliation. As King Charles engages with communities and meets Indigenous leaders, the visit is less about power and more about presence—a quiet but potent reminder of Canada’s complex constitutional and colonial legacies.