King Charles and Queen Camilla will undertake a royal visit to Canada on 26 and 27 May 2025. This will be their second royal visit to another Commonwealth Realm after visiting Australia in October 2024. The centrepiece of the Canadian visit will be the opening of the 45th Canadian Parliament on 27 May.
This Insight looks at the constitutional status of the King of Canada and his responsibilities under the Canadian constitution.
The King and Canada
As well as being the UK’s head of state, the King is also head of state in 14 other Commonwealth Realms – independent states which are constitutional monarchies. This means the King of the United Kingdom is, separately, King of Canada.
The King’s new Canadian title was proclaimed under the Canadian Royal Styles and Titles Act 2023. This omitted the “United Kingdom” and “Defender of the Faith” from the existing title. His Majesty’s new personal Canadian flag was unveiled in 2023. The King also has a Canadian Private Secretary, who is an official at Canada’s Privy Council Office.
History of the relationship between the UK and Canada
The Canadian “confederation” was created by the British North America Act 1867 (an Act of the UK Parliament also known as the Constitution Act). Over time it gradually became more independent from the UK, particularly following the Statute of Westminster 1931.
Under the UK British North America Act 1949, Newfoundland (later Newfoundland and Labrador) joined the confederation. Finally, the Canada Act 1982 (another UK Act) “repatriated” the Canadian constitution, ending the power of the UK Parliament to legislate. It was proclaimed into force by Queen Elizabeth II during a visit to Ottawa in April 1982.
The King’s constitutional role in Canada
Under part III, section 9 of the Constitution Act 1867, executive power “for and over” Canada is vested in the King. The remainder of part III, however, specifies that executive power is exercised by the Governor-General, the King’s vice-regal representative, who acts on the advice of the King’s Privy Council for Canada: Canada’s Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Most of the King’s functions as head of state have also been delegated to the Governor-General under the Letters Patent 1947 (PDF). Her Excellency Mary Simon was appointed Governor-General in July 2021 and was received in audience by the King during a visit to London on 6 May 2025.
Under section 17 of the Constitution Act 1867, the King forms part of the federal Canadian Parliament together with its Senate and House of Commons. Under section 26, the King can approve the appointment of additional senators (in the case of potential political deadlock) while members of both Houses swear an oath of allegiance to him.
In March 2025, the King presented a new ceremonial sword to the Usher of the Black Rod of the Canadian Senate.
The royal visit in May 2025 will be the King’s 20th visit to Canada and the Queen’s fifth, but their first as King and Queen of Canada. As Prince of Wales, Charles was appointed a member of what was then the Queen’s Privy Council of Canada in 2014 but ceased to be so upon his accession in September 2022.
Context of the Canadian royal visit
The royal visit will take place during a period in which relations between Canada and the United States of America have been tense. President Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested that Canada could become the USA’s “51st State” and referred to the previous Canadian Prime Minister as “Governor Trudeau”.
Certain statements by the King as well as his March 2025 audiences with Justin Trudeau and Mark Carney, the new Canadian Prime Minister (and a former Governor of the Bank of England), have been interpreted as responses to the President’s comments. During his recent state visit to Italy, Charles referred to himself as “King of the United Kingdom and of Canada” while commemorating the 80th anniversary of VE Day “in which British, and Canadian Forces played a key role”.
In welcoming the King and Queen to Canada, Governor-General Mary Simon said:
Our Canadian identity is deeply rooted in our constitution and this visit highlights the enduring relationship between Canada and the Crown. Now more than ever, we need to come together to ensure a future that builds on our shared global values of democracy, equality and peace.
However, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, leader of the Parti Québécois, which desires sovereignty – or independence – for the predominantly French-speaking province of Quebec, posted on Twitter/X:
It’s…striking that, at the first opportunity, Mark Carney turns to a foreign sovereign and an institution clearly hostile to Quebecers, to defend a concept — sovereignty — that this same federal regime has long rejected and devalued when it comes to Quebec.
Opening of the Canadian Parliament
The Senate of Canada makes a distinction between the Opening of Parliament (the first session following a general election) and the “Speech from the Throne” at the opening of a subsequent session of Parliament.
The Speech from the Throne is the equivalent of the King’s Speech at the State Opening of the UK Parliament, although it will likely be delivered in both French and English. It is written by the Canadian Government.
Openings and speeches are usually carried out by the Governor-General, but in 1957 the late Queen Elizabeth II opened the 23rd Canadian Parliament and, 20 years later, the third session of its 30th Parliament. The first time a sovereign was present in the Parliament of Canada was during the royal visit of 1939, when King George VI granted Royal Assent to several bills at a special ceremony.
The Opening of Parliament takes place in the Senate Chamber and, as in the UK, follows the election or re-election of the Speaker of the House of Commons. The federal Canadian Parliament is currently undergoing refurbishment, so the Commons is meeting in a temporary chamber while the Senate is housed in a former railway station. As the two chambers are some distance apart, once summoned by Black Rod to attend the King in the Senate, MPs are likely to travel by shuttle bus.
About the author: Dr David Torrance is a researcher at the House of Commons Library, specialising in monarchy and the constitution.
Photo by: Zack Frank via Adobe Stock