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Here is what’s on their itinerary for their visit on May 26 and 27.

A milestone speech

King Charles will go to Parliament to deliver the Carney government’s first speech from the throne, which will lay out its goals and priorities. It will be the first time a monarch has opened Canada’s Parliament since Charles’s mother, Queen Elizabeth II, delivered the throne speech in 1977 during her Silver Jubilee tour, and just the third time ever — Elizabeth also did it in 1957, when she visited Canada for the first time during her reign.

Four hundred and seventy people are expected to be in the Senate chamber for the speech, with more watching from overflow areas. In addition to members of Parliament and senators, guests will include former governors general and prime ministers, justices of the Supreme Court, lieutenant governors and Indigenous leaders. It was not clear Monday if Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who doesn’t currently hold a seat in the House of Commons, would attend.

The gravity of the visit will certainly be marked. The Senate is commissioning four artists to sketch key moments of the occasion: The King’s arrival, the Senate leadership, the procession and the actual speech.

Charles’s address comes at a notable moment in Canadian history. Carney has said his invitation to the King serves as a reminder of Canada’s sovereignty in response to Trump’s musings about turning Canada into his country’s 51st state. All eyes, and ears, will be on whether the King’s speech addresses the elephant in the room, and how Trump, a known fan of the royals, reacts.

A 28-horse escort and military honours

On the morning of May 27, Charles and Camila will arrive by motorcade at the Bank of Canada building in downtown Ottawa, from which they will travel by landau — accompanied by 28 RCMP members on horseback — to the Senate of Canada building one kilometre away, where they will be greeted by Carney and his wife, Diana.

The King will receive full military honours, including a 100-person honour guard and a 21-gun salute, before proceeding to the throne to deliver his 20- to 25-minute speech.

Following the speech, the King and Queen will head to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the National War Memorial to lay a wreath before concluding their visit.

A ceremonial puck drop, and other festivities

On the day before the throne speech, Charles and Camila will take part in festivities that include members of the public.

At Ottawa’s Lansdowne Park, the King will drop the puck for a game of street hockey. He and the Queen will watch dance performances, listen to live music and visit a local farmer’s market. 

They will also go to Rideau Hall, the Governor General’s official residence, where they will be joined by schoolchildren and community groups for a tree-planting ceremony before meeting with Gov. Gen. Mary Simon and Carney.

King Charles, meet your Canadian doctor

Even the King will be affected by Canada’s contentious rules regarding foreign-trained doctors.

Members of the Royal family, who typically travel with medical equipment and a doctor in case of emergencies, will be accompanied by a Canadian-certified doctor. That’s because Canada does not recognize the authority of the King’s British doctor “to practise or to operate” in this country.

Charles was diagnosed with cancer in February 2024, and has continued to undergo treatment since then.