King Charles said Canadians can “give themselves much more than any foreign power on any continent can take away” in a rare speech to the country's Parliament, which was a criticism of US President Donald Trump and his threats to annex the country, the Guardian reported.

Charles, who is the head of state of Canada, is the first monarch since 1957 to preside over the opening of a new Canadian parliament.

In a speech attended by lawmakers, indigenous leaders and dignitaries, Charles, who is on his 20th visit, praised the country he said he loves “so much.”

“The real North is truly strong and free,” he said, referring both to the Canadian national anthem and to Trump's recent threats to make Canada the 51st state.

The throne speech is usually delivered by the governor general and is intended to outline the government's plans for the next session. The speech is drafted by the prime minister's office in collaboration with the royal household.

The king did not mention Trump directly, but his words were closely watched for hidden criticism of the US president and the dramatic transformation of US-Canada relations.

“Democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, self-determination, and freedom are values that Canadians hold dear and that the government is determined to defend,” Charles said, telling those present that “by remaining true to Canadian values,” the country can “build new alliances and a new economy that serves all Canadians.”

The king hinted at efforts to ease tensions with the US. “The Prime Minister and the President of the United States, for example, have begun to define a new economic and security relationship between Canada and the United States based on mutual respect and shared interests to bring transformative benefits to both sovereign nations.”

Sitting next to Queen Camilla, the king also hinted at the last time a monarch opened a new parliament nearly seven decades ago, when his late mother visited Ottawa.

Queen Elizabeth said during her speech in 1957 that “in the context of international relations, no nation can live for itself alone.” Charles said he was proud of how “Canada continues to set an example to the world through its conduct and values as a force for good.”

The symbolic visit came at a time when Canadians are still unsure about the role they want the monarchy to play in the future. In 2023, a poll by the Ipsos polling agency showed that nearly 70% of Canadians believed that the royal family should not play an important role in Canadian society. But that figure has fallen to 56% in a new poll, showing a warming attitude toward the monarchy, partly due to deteriorating relations with the US.

However, not all parties in parliament supported Charles' presence. The separatist Bloc Québécois party was absent, as usual during the speech, in protest against the speech by a “foreign king.”

“To uphold Canada's sovereignty, we seek the symbol of the fact that Canada has the King of England as its sovereign,” leader Yves-François Blanchet said in the days leading up to the speech. “There is a complete disconnect that seems to reflect the personal sympathies of [Prime Minister Mark] Carney rather than an adequate understanding of Quebec's sensitivities.”

Representatives of the Inuit, Métis, and First Nations were present in the Senate after welcoming the king in Ottawa. Indigenous leaders described the visit as a significant reminder of the centuries-old relationship between Canada's first peoples and the British Crown, which signed numerous treaties that laid the foundation for what would later become Canada.

“The King's visit is an opportunity to highlight the relationship between First Nations and the Crown. We are allies with an eternal sacred bond that cannot be broken,” said Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, National Representative of the Assembly of First Nations, in a statement. “The British Crown and First Nations are at the foundation of Canada's creation. We are also different peoples united by peace and friendship.”

Woodhouse Nepinak emphasized that Charles, as King of Canada, “has a responsibility to uphold the treaties that protect our rights.” |BGNES