King Charles II will address Canada’s Parliament on Tuesday, a rare gesture that comes as Canada grapples with tariffs and annexation threats by President Trump.
The British monarch, who formally serves as Canada’s head of state, arrived in the capital of Ottawa on Monday, part of a two-day visit that’s widely viewed as a form of pushback against Mr. Trump’s calls to make Canada the 51st state.
Why is King Charles speaking to Canada’s parliament?
The king is delivering a “Speech from the Throne,” which marks the start of a new session of Parliament after the center-left Liberal Party won last month’s federal election. The speech — written by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office, not the king — will lay out the new government’s agenda and priorities.
Marking the start of Parliament with a speech is a longstanding tradition in Canada and other former parts of the British Empire — but it’s highly unusual for the king to …