King Charles聽arrives in Ottawa on Monday for a whirlwind visit to the largest of his 15 realms. It鈥檚 a strained time for the monarchy, riven with both聽cancer听补苍诲 controversy. Last year, the King and the Princess of Wales were both diagnosed with cancer, and the ongoing estrangement between Charles and his son Prince Harry shows no signs of a thaw. While the King may now cut a sympathetic figure, he鈥檚 never been beloved like his mother, Queen Elizabeth, who drew throngs by the thousands for decades.
Beyond the crowd that might gather at a barricade for the chance to shake a royal hand while they鈥檙e on a walkabout, does anybody really care that King Charles is in town?
Stacy Lee Kong, a 海角社区官网pop culture writer, says she definitely does not. While Kong has previously written critically about the Royal Family, she said there鈥檚 nothing about Charles right now that moves her to even engage. That鈥檚 partly because what she calls 鈥渢he promise of modernism鈥 sparked by Meghan Markle, a biracial woman, joining the royal ranks, hasn鈥檛 been fulfilled.
King Charles and Queen Camilla will make a historic brief visit Canada next week, where the monarch will deliver the speech from the throne. Prime Minister Mark Carney extended the invitation as Canada asserts its sovereignty against threats of annexation by U.S. President Donald Trump. (May 25, 2025 / The Canadian Press)
鈥淗e鈥檚 out of touch,鈥 said Lee Kong, pointing to the 2023 coronation. 鈥淗e鈥檚 dripping in gold and jewels, and it’s like, 鈥楽ir, now? At this moment?鈥 鈥 The same people who have always benefited 鈥 not just benefited but actively reshaped the world to benefit themselves 鈥 are still in power.鈥
This indifference, she added, isn鈥檛 inconsequential. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e an institution that has transitioned from actual political power to soft cultural power, it must be very scary to realize that your relevance is actually diminishing 鈥 and there鈥檚 not really a path forward because your brand-marketing succession plan is not really panning out,鈥 she said. 鈥淔or me, and maybe for a lot of people, there鈥檚 no part of this that is activating any kind of passionate response.鈥
Alyssa Ashton, a creative director and long-time Royal Family fan, feels differently.
鈥(King Charles) was in hospital not too long ago, and he鈥檚 maybe not feeling great, but he鈥檚 making this trek across the world to show how important Canada is as part of the Commonwealth,鈥 said Ashton. 鈥淚t鈥檚 made me go, 鈥極h Charles! What a sweetie you are.鈥欌
The King’s cancer diagnosis was announced in February 2024.
Ming Yeung / Getty ImagesStill, said Ashton, 鈥淭ruthfully, I would have preferred Will and Kate 鈥 for most of us that would have been more interesting. But I think that this is what the royals do best, this soft diplomacy. I would even say that this (visit) feels like more bold diplomacy.鈥
Ashton said that Charles鈥檚 visit 鈥 particularly his delivery of the throne speech in Parliament on Tuesday, the first by a monarch since 1977 鈥 will be particularly significant during this time of heightened Canadian patriotism ignited by U.S. President Donald Trump鈥檚 constant tariff threats and taunts of making Canada the 51st state.
鈥淚鈥檓 sure (Charles) will still get negativity, but because the throne speech will likely have some words about how Canada is a sovereign nation, I think it might create some rah-rah.鈥
A new poll suggests that support for the monarchy is on the rise, with saying it鈥檚 good for Canada鈥檚 sovereignty for King Charles to deliver the throne speech and only 22 per cent opposed.
Nathan Tidridge, a GTA high school civics teacher, who is also the vice-president of the Institute of the Study of the Crown, said that he believes this is the most important royal visit since 1939.
鈥淲e鈥檙e in this period of existential crisis, where Canadians are being asked to define their democracy and their sovereignty and the vehicle for that is we鈥檙e going to have the King read the speech from the throne,鈥 said Tidrige. 鈥淚 think a lot of Canadians will say, 鈥極h it鈥檚 symbolic,鈥 but it鈥檚 very important because it鈥檚 what our democracy is founded on, and it marks us as different from the United States.鈥
King Charles, seen here at the RHS Chelsea Flower show, in London on May 19, has long championed for protection of the environment.
TOBY MELVILLE POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesTidridge met the King when he was part of a delegation of the Mississaugas of the Credit that travelled to Scotland to meet the monarch in 2023. The prevailing impression he had, Tidridge said, is that of a man on a mission. He characterizes the King as more forward-thinking than younger generations might assume.
鈥淗e鈥檚 hit the ground running. His whole life, he was cutting edge for the environment. He鈥檚 the King that we need for these times 鈥 if we let him do it.鈥
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