The King, in a ceremonial sense, has reaffirmed his respect for and commitment to Canada, against the tense backdrop of the trade war with America.
This afternoon, King Charles, who is also Canada’s monarch as a Commonwealth realm, received the Canadian Usher of the Black Rod, Greg Peters, and the Speaker of the Canadian Senate, Raymonde Gagne, at Buckingham Palace.
The King handed over a new ceremonial sword to the Usher of the Black Rod, which was commissioned by the Senate to mark the change of reign.
It’s understood that the King shared his profound personal thanks for the gesture, and they then spent around 30 minutes discussing topics of great concern to all parties, both nationally and internationally.
It hasn’t been confirmed if America was among those topics.
While the meeting was “long-scheduled”, it comes at a fragile time, with Donald Trump enforcing strict trade tariffs and repeatedly talking about turning Canada into the “51st state” of America.
Many have wondered whether Mr Trump, a great admirer of the King, realises that Charles is currently also Canada’s head of state.
In February, on the 60th anniversary of Canada’s flag day, the King appeared to send a subtle message of support, writing: “On February 15, 1965, the red and white maple leaf was first flown on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
“Since that time, it has become internationally recognised as a symbol of a proud, resilient and compassionate country.
“For my own part, it is a symbol that never fails to elicit a sense of pride and admiration, as I recall with the deepest affection my many Canadian visits and friendships.”
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It’s another example of the King being on the front line of high stakes diplomatic issues, after the press pack in the Oval Office were shown the letter he sent to Mr Trump offering him a second state visit, and his meeting with President Zelenskky at Sandringham – just days after the Ukrainian President clashed with Trump.
In recent weeks, the King also held a private meeting with Justin Trudeau at Sandringham before he stepped down as prime minister.
