King Charles III and Queen Camilla are set to arrive in Ottawa today for a two-day visit, widely interpreted as a gesture of support for Canada amid heightened tensions with former U.S. President Donald Trump.

Prime Minister Mark Carney, who recently secured a general election victory propelled by a wave of anti-Trump sentiment, personally invited the royal couple. During their stay, they will meet with Carney and participate in a series of ceremonial and community events.

A historic highlight of the visit will come Tuesday, when the King delivers the “Speech from the Throne” in Canada’s Parliament — the first time a reigning monarch has done so in nearly 50 years. The speech, prepared by the Canadian government, is expected to emphasize Canada’s sovereignty and dismiss provocative suggestions by Trump that Canada should become America’s 51st state.

The trip is King Charles and Queen Camilla’s first to Canada since the beginning of their reign, after a planned visit last year was canceled due to the King's cancer diagnosis. The timing of their journey is seen as particularly significant, arriving just weeks after Trump renewed inflammatory rhetoric about annexing Canada.

The visit will include a ceremonial welcome at the Ottawa airport and community engagements, including meetings with First Nations representatives. The King will also meet Canada’s first Indigenous Governor General, Mary Simon.

Local businesses and communities across Canada have responded to Trump’s remarks with public demonstrations of national pride, such as displaying "Proudly Canadian" posters. Prime Minister Carney has taken a firm stance, recently telling Trump during a White House meeting that “Canada is not for sale.” That message is expected to be echoed in the King’s address to Parliament.

Former Canadian High Commissioner to the UK, Jeremy Kinsman, said the King would be honored to deliver such a speech. “It’s going to be very affirmative of Canadian sovereignty,” said Kinsman. “And I can say personally that it’s something King Charles will celebrate saying.”

The bilingual speech — delivered in both French and English — will outline the Canadian government’s legislative priorities, in a format akin to the UK’s State Opening of Parliament. However, unlike the traditional British pomp, this Canadian version will be more subdued. The King is expected to wear a suit rather than ceremonial robes.

Beyond Parliament, the King and Queen will engage in community visits and meet with local leaders, making this a highly symbolic but diplomatically sensitive trip. As both the monarch of the UK and Canada, the King must navigate a careful path — especially given his ongoing efforts to maintain good relations with the U.S., including a previous invitation to Trump for a second state visit to the UK.

Despite this balancing act, royal insiders express confidence in the King’s diplomatic finesse. “He’s held in high regard globally and has decades of experience walking this diplomatic tightrope,” a palace source noted.

As the visit begins, it is clear that King Charles’s presence is about more than ceremony — it’s a clear signal of support for Canadian sovereignty and identity during a politically charged moment.