As Buckingham Palace remains silent on U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated attacks on Canadian sovereignty, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with King Charles III on Monday.
A photo from the meeting at Sandringham House was shared on social media by the Royal Family, but no specifics on the discussions have been made public. Trudeau was in London for a security summit on Ukraine over the weekend and was asked on Sunday whether he expected King Charles to speak out regarding Canadian sovereignty.
While Trudeau did not provide a direct answer, he emphasized that “matters of importance to Canada and Canadians” would be a top priority. He added, “I can tell you that nothing seems more important to Canadians right now than standing up for our sovereignty and independence as a nation.”
Trump has intensified his calls in recent months for Canada to become the 51st state, claiming the country could avoid heavy tariffs if it agreed to annexation. He has suggested he would use “economic force” to push this agenda.
Canada has strongly rejected these remarks, with leaders from all levels of government insisting that such an idea will never happen, with Trudeau calling it a “non-starter.” Despite this, Trump has continued to refer to Trudeau as “governor” and has said that “amazing things would happen to Canada” if it became part of the United States, calling it a “very serious contender.”
When asked about Trump’s ongoing rhetoric, King Charles declined to comment. A Buckingham Palace official responded to an inquiry, stating that they would not make any remarks on the matter.
Although King Charles is the Head of State, the Statute of Westminster dictates that the monarch can only act on the advice of each dominion’s minister, in Canada’s case, Trudeau.
Former Conservative cabinet minister and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney expressed his wish that Trudeau would formally advise the monarch to underscore Canadian sovereignty, noting that Trump respects the Crown. However, Canadian High Commissioner to the U.K., Ralph Goodale, suggested that Buckingham Palace should not give too much attention to Trump’s comments. He dismissed the idea of Canada becoming the 51st state, calling it “sheer foolishness.”
Canada’s international allies have also been reluctant to defend Canada on this issue. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, during his visit to Washington, avoided answering questions about Trump’s annexation comments, stating that there is no divide between the U.K. and Canada. When asked about King Charles’ opinion, Starmer noted that it was not for him to express the monarch’s views, adding that the King would speak for himself in his own way. During the visit, Starmer also presented Trump with an invitation from King Charles to an official state dinner.
