King Charles and Queen Camilla have received a ceremonial welcome as they touched down in Canada for a whirlwind visit to the nation’s capital to attend the State Opening of Parliament tomorrow.
Arriving in Ottawa on a Royal Canadian Air Force Airbus CC-330 Husky, Charles and Camilla stepped out of the aircraft to an impressive display of pomp and pageantry, with a rousing musical performance by the Central Band of the Canadian Armed Forces and a 25-member Guard of Honour from the Royal Canadian Dragoons, for which the King is Colonel-in-Chief.
Almost a dozen dignitaries waited to greet them at the bottom of the steps as they stepped out onto Canadian soil for the first since the King ascended the throne in September 2022.
Among those waiting in the sunshine included newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney and his wife.
In a statement ahead of their arrival, Mr 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…”
Mark Carney greeted the King and Queen as they disembarked the Royal Canadian Air Force plane that flew them from RAF Brize Norton in the UK to the capital, Ottawa.
Among the dignitaries taking part in the ceremonial welcome were Canada’s first indigenous Governor General, Mary Simon, the King’s representative in Canada, and a number of senior figures from Canada’s indigenous peoples, including Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations.
Queen Camilla looked stunning as she wore a pale pink fringe coat dress by Anna Valentine, Chanel shoes, and in keeping with diplomatic dressing – the Maple leaf brooch that belonged to Queen Elizabeth II, which she wore on her first visit to Canada in 1939.
Camilla was presented with a bouquet of flowers by schoolgirl Lila Graham, and the couple were warmly welcomed by school groups from Ontario and Quebec, including students enrolled in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme.
One of the school groups was comprised of pupils enrolled in the Duke of Edinburgh Award, a youth achievement programme that encourages personal development and was founded by the King’s father, Prince Philip, in 1956.
During their two-day trip, Charles will become only the second monarch, after Queen Elizabeth II, to attend the state opening of Canada’s parliament and deliver the speech setting out the government’s legislative agenda.
