'The true north is indeed strong and free': King Charles delivers throne speech

(UPDATE: May 27 at 8:38 am): The King has delivered his speech from the throne in Parliament.

He began by making a land acknowledgment.

The monarch then said: “Every time I come to Canada, a little more of Canada seeps into my bloodstream, and from there straight into my heart.”

He also made reference to the United States, declaring that Canada's relationship with its partners is "changing."

The US and Canada – both "sovereign nations" – will now work on a new relationship, he added.

King Charles said Canada has changed "dramatically" since his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, first delivered the speech from the throne in 1957.

The Crown, however, remains a "symbol of unity" and "continuity," he said, as Canada faces a dangerous and unstable world.

The King then went on to list the priorities of the Mark Carney government, including childcare, pharmacare, dental care, housebuilding and interprovincial trade.

He also restated Carney's ambition of making the country a superpower in both "green" and "conventional" energy.

The "overarching" priority, however, is to make Canada's economy the "strongest" in the G7, the King said.

The speech also stated that Canada will join Europe's "ReArm" plan, which is designed to rejuvenate the continent's ailing military in the face of growing challenges from Russia and China.

The King was applauded as he concluded his speech by saying: "As the anthem reminds us, the true north is indeed strong and free."

(Original story: May 27 at 6:30 am): King Charles is set to read the speech from the throne later this morning.

The monarch, who arrived in Ottawa on Monday with Queen Camilla, will also lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier today before departing Canada.

His speech is scheduled to begin at 11 am local time (8 am Pacific), after he has opened the 45th Parliament.

The speech, which is written by Prime Minister Mark Carney and his officials, will set out the priorities of the new minority Liberal government.

🇨🇦👑 Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla have arrived in Ottawa for the #RoyalVisit!

Welcomed by dignitaries and an arrival guard from the Royal Canadian Dragoons, Their Majesties begin their historic visit, which includes the #SpeechFromTheThrone. pic.twitter.com/vucisVTWmu

— The Crown in Canada (@TheCrownCa) May 26, 2025

Charles is due to pay his respects at the National War Memorial at about noon local time (9 am Pacific).

Carney will then “bid farewell” to the Royals shortly afterwards, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.

As part of the pomp and circumstance of the King’s visit, the monarch will be paraded through Ottawa in a horse-drawn carriage.

It’s the first time Canada’s head of state has read the speech from the throne since 1977, when Charles’s mother, Elizabeth, performed the duty.