The King and Queen visit Ottawa

The late Queen Elizabeth ll had a famous saying, “I need to be seen to be believed.” That is a page King Charles and Queen Camilla borrowed while touring around Ottawa on Monday and Tuesday. 

While the trip was a short one, lasting only 24 hours, the schedule was jam-packed. Its aim was to show the importance of Canadian sovereignty and pride at a time of heightened tensions with the United States. 

The Royal couple arrived at the Ottawa Airport around 1:15 pm where they were met by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Governor General Mary Simon, and their spouses. 

A chance to mingle: The pleasantries didn’t last long because the King and Queen were quickly whisked off to Lansdowne Park, where they were greeted by Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, who said the couple asked many questions and were interested in Ottawa. They then had the chance to meet with local vendors from the farmers market and shake hands with the public. 

Florist Kate Punnett was one of the lucky ones to catch a glimpse of the Royals. She brought a bouquet of flowers to give to the Queen.  

• “I’m hoping to create core memories for my kids,” Punnett told Capital Current. “I think the passage of time is made through tradition and spending time together with other people, and I know that this will be a memorable day – being so close to the King and Queen.”

For the vendors, they were happy to see the King and Queen so engaged. 

• “He’s quite charming,” Alex Proulx of Purebread told the Ottawa Citizen. “I was surprised when he reached out his hand to shake each of our hands. Same with Her Majesty Camilla.”

Recognizing culture and sport: Celebrations kicked off with dancers from Mādahòkì Farm, Upasana the Spirit of Dance, and Ballet Folklórico Aztlán. After meeting with vendors, it was time for a ceremonial puck drop. 

In the ball hockey boards, there were students from the African Hockey Association and the Association de Hockey Féminin Vallée de Gatineau. Both competing teams were coached by some well-known local athletes: Former Ottawa Senators defenceman Chris Phillips supported the students on one side, and Olympic soccer gold medalist Desiree Scott on the other. 

Phillips said that there is no other country where the sport of hockey could bring the opportunity to meet their majesties. He had passionate words of encouragement to give the young sports players and elementary school students sitting nearby.  

• “I just want to say dream big. You never know when you really might achieve your goal,” said the former Ottawa Senator who was drafted in 1996. “The  game of hockey and really all sports brings opportunities. Learning the skills of communication, dedication to your sport, to your teammates, learning how to win, learning how to lose.”

The Royals then went inside the Horticulture Building to meet members of the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum/Central Experimental Farm, Operation Come Home and the First Peoples Innovation Centre, among others. 

To end the afternoon of public engagements, King Charles and Queen Camilla travelled to Rideau Hall — their official home in Canada — for a ceremonial tree planting. Thousands lined the grounds to catch a glimpse before the couple went inside for meetings, including an audience with Prime Minister Carney. Governor General Simon was reportedly heard saying, “welcome home.” 

Speech from the Throne 

The defining moment: The item on the itinerary everyone was anxiously awaiting was for King Charles to deliver his speech to the throne inside Senate Chambers. 

He arrived in Canada’s State Landau, which was surrounded by a team of horses from the RCMP Musical Ride. It was the first time the carriage was used by the RCMP, and it has a very interesting backstory. 

The landau was built in the 1800s but was discovered in a dilapidated state in St. Isidore, Que. There, it was restored by a man who donated it to the RCMP. 

• “It’s actually miraculous that this gentleman was able to get it to what it is now. He wanted the carriage to continue to have a story, a life to it,” RCMP riding master Sgt. Maj. Scott Williamson told CTV. 

Outside the Senate, King Charles received full military honours. That included a Royal Salute, a 100-person guard of honour from the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment, an inspection of the guard and the band, and a 21-gun salute.

Unity over division: There were no major surprises to come out of the throne speech, but King Charles spoke of trade, improving affordability, the environment, and, of course, the United States. 

• “Canadians can give themselves far more than any foreign power on any continent can ever take away. And that by staying true to Canadian values, Canada can build new alliances and a new economy that serves all Canadians,” the King said.

He then went on to talk about how Canada and the U.S. “have begun defining a new economic and security relationship” that will bring “transformational benefits for both sovereign nations.”

The King also spoke about enhanced border security efforts Canada has implemented after pressure from our neighbours to the south. The government intends to hire 1,000 more RCMP personnel, change firearms licensing, and will revoke weapons licences for those convicted of intimate partner violence and those subject to protection orders. 

The banger: And he ended with what could be seen as a jab to President Trump, “As the anthem reminds us: The true north is indeed strong and free,” said King Charles. 

• The Ottawa Citizen wrote this comprehensive article discussing what the Indigenous community thought of the throne speech. 

Remembering the fallen: The Royal tour concluded with a trip to the National War Memorial, where the King and Queen laid a wreath. A bugler played “the last post” and there was a moment of silence. 

A powerful connection: Olivia Vernelli of Petawawa served as the Queen’s flower girl at the ceremony. The 16-year-old represented Silver Cross families across Canada. Her father, Cpl. Scott Vernelli, was killed in Afghanistan in 2009. Olivia was just six-months-old. With her at the service was a small teddy bear with a ribbon, which was found intact by comrades after her father’s death. 

• “When I saw Their Majesties coming closer to Olivia, I took a deep breath and thought, this is for us,” Olivia’s mother Marcie Lane told CTV. “This is for strong military families because we go through so much adversity, but we’re stronger together. I was just so proud and I felt her dad with us today. She couldn’t have done a better job.”

A fun fact: The war memorial was unveiled by Charles's grandfather, King George VI, during a visit to Ottawa with his wife, Queen Elizabeth, in 1939. It was during that trip that the Royals had one of their first walkabouts. It was symbolic because World War ll was on the verge of starting.