Charles automatically became king when Queen Elizabeth II died on Thursday. But like the ceremony in the UK just hours earlier, the accession ceremony in Canada is a key constitutional and ceremonial step in introducing the new monarch to the country. Charles is now the head of state in Canada, which is a member of the former British Commonwealth of Nations. “Canada enjoys a long history and close friendship with His Majesty King Charles III, who has visited our country many times over the years,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement. “On behalf of the Government of Canada, we reaffirm our loyalty to the new King of Canada, His Majesty King Charles III, and offer him our full support.” Charles’s visits over the years have drawn sparse crowds. Although Canadians are somewhat indifferent to the monarchy, many have a great love for Elizabeth, whose silhouette graces their coins. He was head of state for 45% of Canada’s existence and visited the country 22 times as monarch. Overall, the anti-royal movement in Canada is tiny, which means that Charles will almost certainly remain King of Canada. One reason is that abolishing the monarchy would mean changing the constitution. This is an inherently dangerous undertaking, given how delicately it has been designed to unite a nation of 37 million people that embraces Anglophones, Francophones, indigenous tribes and a steady stream of new immigrants. “Politically, I think there’s no appetite for any kind of constitutional overturning,” said Robert Bothwell, a professor of Canadian history and international relations at the University of Toronto. Trudeau attended the ceremony where Canada’s Chief Herald read the accession proclamation for the new sovereign. Also in attendance was Governor General Mary Simon, who is the representative of the British monarch as head of state, a position that is largely ceremonial and symbolic. She is Inuk and is the first indigenous person to hold the position. A 28-piece Canadian Armed Forces band played “God Save the King” during a 21-gun salute. Canada’s national anthem marked the end of the ceremony.
