Seated in a brand-new throne and surrounded by dignitaries, King Charles opened Parliament Tuesday with a show of royal tradition — the first throne speech delivered by a reigning monarch in Canada in nearly half a century.
Reading from the speech — which is drafted by the federal government and lays out its policy priorities — the King proclaimed the “True North is indeed strong and free” and reaffirmed Canada’s sovereignty while underscoring the “unprecedented” challenges the nation faces.
Prime Minister Mark Carney told The Canadian Press after the speech that the line citing the national anthem “rang true and shows that His Majesty understands what makes this country so great.”
He said the King delivered “a strong message of a confident Canada, pride, sovereignty and a great future.”
King Charles said that every time he visits, “a little more of Canada seeps into my bloodstream — and from there …