King Charles and Queen Camilla were greeted with maple syrup, cheers and sunny Ottawa weather upon their arrival in Canada’s capital on Monday afternoon.
Thousands of royal watchers gathered to give the royals a taste of Canadian hospitality during their short but highly symbolic trip.
The King landed a day before he is set to deliver the speech from the throne to open Parliament — a rare event that comes as Canada copes with U.S. President Donald Trump’s attempts to upend global trade through tariffs and his repeated calls for Canada’s annexation.
The Canadian Armed Forces plane carrying the King and Queen landed in Ottawa shortly after 1 p.m..
King Charles, in a taupe suit and dark red tie, and Queen Camilla, in a pastel pink coat dress, were greeted on the runway by Canadian officials, including Prime Minster Mark Carney and Gov. Gen. Mary Simon, along with the leaders of national Indigenous organizations.
They then walked past a small group of onlookers gathered at the airport, shaking hands with some, before climbing into a blue sedan.
An arrival guard from the Royal Canadian Dragoons was also on hand to welcome the King and Queen.
This trip is the couple’s first visit to Canada since the King’s coronation two years ago.
Their first stop was Lansdowne Park — a large events venue in the heart of the nation’s capital — to meet with community members Monday afternoon. Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault and Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe were among those in the welcoming committee at Lansdowne.
King Charles took part in a ceremonial puck drop for a street hockey game in the plaza after he and Queen Camilla strolled past farmers’ market vendors in the crowded courtyard.
Chris Phillips, a veteran defenceman who played for the Ottawa Senators across nearly 20 seasons in the NHL, took part in the face-off before the youth game got underway. He said the King showed plenty of enthusiasm for the national pastime.
“I think he was ready to jump in and play with the kids there, if he could,” Phillips said.
Among the vendors greeting the royals was Sarah Garland, whose family runs a sugar shack in the Ottawa area. She said the family jumped at the chance to meet the King and Queen when they were approached last week.
“If the King wants our maple syrup, have to give the man what he wants,” Garland said, adding the royal visit offers a “symbol of unity and family.”
The King and Queen also met the Altaouil family, Syrian refugees who run a falafel stand at the farmers’ market. Members of the family said before the visit they were nervous but thrilled by the chance to share their cuisine with the King.
Ryan St-John attended the public event at Lansdowne in hopes that the King’s presence in Ottawa might improve international relations, he told Ottawa Compass.
And said he’s tuning in to the throne speech to “see if it affects British or American relations”.
He said the “public events are nice for monarchists” and “those who enjoy the pageantry.” That said, he mentioned that there were protesters at the event.
“I had the misfortune of standing near the anti-king/freedom convoy crowd,” he said. “Belligerent and pushy, ready to pick verbal fights.”
But he said he enjoyed seeing the interactions between the royals and the public at Lansdowne.
He works at nearby Carleton University and said the short trip to Lansdowne, which “factored in” to his decision to attend. He said the throne speech would have been ideal, but that Lansdowne was his “backup viewing.”
Whether or not the visit manages to send a message to the United States, St-Jean said he was unsure.
“The speech will get turned into one or two clips, filtered through Fox News and the American administration and Trump will make some grand declaration,” he said. “Maybe good, maybe bad.”
In the end, though, he said his view of the monarchy is more complex.
“The Governor General plays an important role, but the monarchy behind it is silly,” he said. “I respect the king’s role in doing a state visit, but if I was an MP I’d vote to sever ties if asked.
“If the King ever directed our government to do anything, we’d laugh him off and start procedures to sever his authority going forward.”
Carney asked the King to read the speech from the throne on Tuesday, which sets out the government’s priorities for the legislative session.
It will be the first time Canada’s head of state has opened Parliament since Queen Elizabeth II did so in 1977.
Carney said in a media statement Monday that “this historic honour matches the weight of our times.”
“To that end, the speech from the throne will outline the government’s ambitious plan to act with urgency and determination, and to deliver the change Canadians want and deserve: to define a new economic and security relationship with the United States, to build the strongest economy in the G7, to bring down the cost of living, and to keep communities safe,” he said.
The royal entourage departed Lansdowne Park shortly after 2:30 p.m.
The King and Queen ended their public events Monday afternoon at Rideau Hall, the official residence of the royals while in Canada, where they planted a ceremonial blue-beech tree in front of onlookers.
The King was set for meetings with Carney and Gov. Gen. Simon, who acts as the representative of the Crown in Canada. He also added previously unscheduled meetings with the leaders of three Indigenous organizations for late Monday afternoon.
Simon issued a media statement Monday morning welcoming the King and Queen to Canada.
“The presence of Their Majesties at this pivotal moment in our history holds profound significance. It reaffirms the enduring constitutional bond that has shaped Canada’s journey into a proud and independent nation,” Simon said.
“The Crown’s role in Canada is more than symbolic; it serves as a cornerstone of the democratic freedoms and rights we cherish. The presence of Their Majesties fosters a sense of unity among Canadians, reminding us of the shared values that bring us together — respect, compassion and hope.”
Nine-year-old Florence McIntire was in Ottawa for the royal visit, travelling from Kingston, Ont. With her mom, Gabrielle, and sister, Clara, in hopes of catching a glimpse of the King. Instead, she met them.
After the King completed the tree-planting ceremony, he and the Queen stopped to greet some of the people gathered outside Rideau Hall, and Florence was one of them.
“He was walking along, and people were stopping in front, and I wasn’t sure if I was really going to see him,” she said. “Then he came over and shook my hand. And a tiny bit later, the Queen came and said ‘nice to meet you’, and shook my hand.”
Her big sister Clara who is 12 (and a half), said Florence smiled “really, really, really big,” and that the trio were hoping to catch the royals again on Tuesday.
“We came for this today with our grandparents. We’ve all been wanting to see the King and Queen,” said Clara. “So we came here and we’re going to maybe see him outside his speech tomorrow.”
Meanwhile, Catherine Murray, who travelled to Ottawa from New Westminster, B.C., and attended the ceremony with her friends and colleagues.
She waving a “vintage” Union Jack flag that she said had been in her family and was first waved at a royal event in 1956.
“We were hoping for a gesture to future generations…in favour of Canada’s sovereignty and (King Charles) is playing a very, very good role in that,” said Murray. “I’m just delighted, and really excited to hear what he says tomorrow.”
Her colleague Jeff Roseburgh, who lives in Ottawa, said he came to see how the King’s presence might represent Canada’s sovereignty and identity.
Years ago, he brought his daughter to see Prince William and Princess Kate, then Duchess of Cambridge, on their visit to Ottawa.
“I think many cccountries in the world would be very happy to have the King as the head of state,” he said. “It’s just very touching to see, and it sending a subtle but important message to the rest of the world that Canada is soveriegn.
“We’re a part of the Commonwealth, and we always will be,” he continued. “Charles represents that carrying on.”
He also said he appreciated that the couple interacted with the crowd that gathered, and that he’s “happy to support” the monarchy here in Ottawa.
“He’s such a warm person,” he added. “He took the time to talk to people, as did Camilla, and I think that’s just fantastic. We’re lucky.”
The royals will continue their visit Tuesday with a parade on Wellington Street and the throne speech at the Senate.
— with files from the Canadian Press
