King Charles begins historic visit to Canada as Queen Camilla wears sentimental diamond maple leaf brooch

King Charles and Queen Camilla have begun an historic tour of Canada, following in the footsteps of the late Queen Elizabeth II decades earlier.

The monarch and his wife arrived in Ottawa to a warm welcome on Monday, marking King Charles’ first visit to Canada as sovereign.

The two-day visit comes at a crucial time for Canada following comments by US President Donald Trump referring to the country as America’s “51st State”.

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And while it is Charles’ 20th time on Canadian soil, the two-day tour is being seen as his most significant.

His visit is being interpreted as a show of Canada’s sovereignty in the wake of Trump’s comments.

In a statement shared hours before the King and Queen’s arrival, Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney said: “The royal visit is a reminder of the bond between Canada and the Crown – one forged over generations, shaped by shared histories, and grounded in common values”.

“A bond that, over time, has evolved, just as Canada has, to reflect the strength, diversity, and confidence of our people.

“This historic honour matches the weight of our times. It speaks to our enduring tradition and friendship, to the vitality of our constitutional monarchy and our distinct identity, and to the historic ties that crises only fortify.”

Charles and Camilla touched down on a Canadian Air Force plane, Airbus CC-330 Husky, and were met by Carney.

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They were then taken to Lansdowne Park, a community hub in Ottawa, to meet as many members of the public as possible during the whirlwind visit.

There, they met Carol Shipley and Monique Guilbault, both now 89, and Barbara Warmegent, 88, who were among 50 young women from across Canada who were sponsored by the Canadian business Garfield Weston to attend Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953, as teenagers.

In December 2023, the King surprised 12 of the group during a reception at Buckingham Palace to mark the release of the documentary, Coronation Girls.

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Shipley said: “I’m very happy that the King came today, particularly at this time in our history when we are striving for our sovereignty. I’m just so happy that he came.”

Queen Camilla wore a diamond maple leaf brooch that was originally a gift from King George VI to his wife, Queen Elizabeth – later the Queen Mother – and worn by Elizabeth II during previous visits to Canada.

The brooch was given to Elizabeth during her and George VI’s visit to Canada in 1939 and made by Asprey & Co.

Catherine, Princess of Wales, also wore the brooch when she and Prince William visited Canada soon after their royal wedding in 2011.

After meeting the public, the King and Queen toured a local market where a member of the royal household purchased two bottles of maple syrup for Charles and Camilla to take home with them.

On Tuesday, the final day of the royal visit, King Charles will attend the state opening of parliament and deliver the Speech from the Throne.

The speech is traditionally given by the governor general, the monarch’s top representative in Canada, and read on behalf of the prime minister to set out the government’s agenda for the year ahead.

King Charles’ late mother opened Canada’s parliament in 1957 during her first visit there as Queen.

The opening of parliament by Charles will be an historic occasion for Canada as it will be the first time a King has done so. Charles’ grandfather George VI granted royal assent to several bills when he visited Canada in 1939, but never delivered a throne speech.

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King Charles is head of state of Canada and 13 other Commonwealth realms including Australia, the UK, New Zealand and several Caribbean states.

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