It began as a joke. In December 2024, Donald Trump glibly informed Justin Trudeau that Canada ought to grow to be the 51st state. Three months later, the “joke” appears to have grow to be an American overseas coverage objective for the second Trump administration.
Canadian Parliament has been unanimous in its response: “Canada is not for sale.” However Canada’s head of state, King Charles, has remained largely silent on the matter — till just lately.
During the last a number of weeks, observers have began to choose up on delicate indicators of assist for Canadians from the King. However many individuals have little question been questioning why there’s not been a direct assertion of assist from King Charles.
The reply to that query isn’t so simple as many individuals would possibly assume.
King of Canada
Since 1689, Britain has been a constitutional monarchy. The sovereign is the pinnacle of state, however the prime minister leads the federal government. As such, the King can’t intrude with politics. He’s supposed to stay impartial and be the embodiment of the nation.
This important separation between palace and Parliament was solidified in Canada and all through the Commonwealth in 1931 with the Statute of Westminster. In 1954, the Royal Types and Titles Act separated the British Crown from the opposite Commonwealth realms. Queen Elizabeth grew to become the primary sovereign to ever be referred to as Queen of Canada.
Carrying a miner’s helmet and a plastic raincoat and holding a flashlight, Queen Elizabeth leaves a nickel mine at Sudbury, Ont., in July 1959 whereas on a go to to Canada.
(CP PHOTO)
As a constitutional monarch, King Charles is certain by parliamentary limitations on his authority. He can not act with out taking recommendation from the prime ministers in his numerous realms.
This implies King Charles can’t make a political assertion in regards to the ongoing tensions between Canada and the U.S. with out the inexperienced gentle from Ottawa. When requested in regards to the scenario in January, a palace official mentioned merely that that is “not something we would comment on.”
As former Alberta premier Jason Kenney later defined on social media:
“For Canadians disappointed that King Charles has not commented on President Trump’s threats to annex Canada: in his capacity as King of Canada, he can only act on the advice of his Canadian first minister, i.e. Justin Trudeau.”
Or, at this second, Mark Carney.
Indicators of assist
The King met with Trudeau at Sandringham, the royal household’s personal property in Norfolk, England, on March 3. This assembly appears to have prompted a collection of symbolic gestures demonstrating the monarchy’s solidarity with Canadians.
The subsequent day, the King performed an inspection of the British plane service HMS Prince of Wales in his capability as head of the Armed Forces. Canadian medals and honours adorned his naval gown uniform in the course of the inspection.
Every week later, the King planted a purple maple tree at Buckingham Palace to honour Queen Elizabeth’s dedication to the preservation of forests and the bonds amongst Commonwealth nations.
King Charles waters a purple maple on the grounds of Buckingham Palace in London on March 11, 2025 to commemorate his longstanding dedication to environmental conservation and the Commonwealth international locations.
(Aaron Chown/PA through AP, Pool)
On March 12, the King met with representatives from the Canadian Senate.
He offered a ceremonial sword to Gregory Peters, the Usher of the Black Rod (one of many Senate’s chief protocol officers). Raymonde Gagné, the speaker of the Senate, was additionally current for that assembly.
And on March 17, the King met with Carney as a part of the brand new prime minister’s whirlwind diplomatic tour of western Europe.
Some observers even pointed to the Princess of Wales’s purple gown on the Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration on March 10 as one more nod of recognition for Canada.
Britain’s Catherine, the Princess of Wales, leaves Westminster Abbey in London after attending the annual Commonwealth Day Service on March 10, 2025.
(AP Picture/Kin Cheung)
Comfortable energy and the Royal Household
These types of gestures are examples of what’s often called “soft power.” Not like the exhausting energy of navy and financial power utilized by governments, comfortable energy describes any variety of ways in which individuals or teams can affect others by means of tradition, private diplomacy and even vogue.
As one Buckingham Palace supply remarked: “The King knows that seemingly small gestures can send a reassuring sign of recognition about what is going on around the world.”
Top-of-the-line identified types of the monarchy wielding comfortable energy is thru using state visits. On the British prime minister’s request, world leaders are invited to London by the sovereign. The purple carpet is rolled out for them, they’re wined and dined in lavish dinners at Buckingham Palace and so they usually make a speech to Parliament.
These state visits are a means for the Royal Household to make use of its comfortable energy to positively affect diplomatic relations.
King Charles and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shake fingers throughout their assembly at Sandringham in Norfolk, England, on March 2, 2025.
(Joe Giddens/Pool through AP)
In February, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer offered Trump with an invite from the King for a second state go to to the U.Okay.. Up to now, no date for the journey has been introduced, however the King’s conferences with Trudeau and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy reportedly irritated Trump.
It stays to be seen how King Charles navigates his constitutional position as each king of the UK and of Canada. Will Trump’s state go to solely be about British pursuits? Or will Charles use it as an opportunity to deal with the considerations of his Canadian topics?
