King Carlos III of Great Britain welcomed the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday when the monarch faces criticism in Canada for being silent about the repeated suggestion of the president of the United States, Donald Trump that the United States attached to his northern neighbor.
Although real officials did not provide details about private conversations in the Royal Residence of the Sandringham monarch, Trudeau suggested that he and the king discussed Trump's comments that Canada should become the state 51.
“We talk about matters of importance for Canadians, including, above all, the sovereign and independent future of Canada.” Trudeau wrote on Monday X at night.
Charles is the head of state of Canada, a member of the Commonwealth group of many old British colonies and territories. Trudeau said Sunday: “Nothing seems more important for Canadians at this time than defending our sovereignty and our independence as a nation.”
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Great Britain monarchs must remain politically neutral, but Canada's problem shows how delicate that act of balance can be.
“The Canadian government should ask the Head of State to underline Canadian sovereignty,” said former Alberta Prime Minister Jason Kenney in X.
Trudeau flew to London to join an emergency defense summit in Ukraine during the weekend, where British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the plans to end the war in Ukraine and join European counterparts to throw his weight behind the country when Ukraine appeared in danger.
The King's meeting with the Canadian leader occurred after Charles met on Sunday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to show solidarity with Ukraine after Trump lashed out at Zelenskyy in a heated exchange in the Oval office.
Last week, Starmer refused to evaluate Trump's calls to Annexe Canada, telling a journalist who asked him during a joint press conference at the White House that the media were “trying to find a division between us that does not exist.”
Starmer told legislators on Monday that he had conversations with Trudeau during the weekend and that “he could assure our strong support for Canada.”
Meanwhile, Charles has invited Trump to come to a state visit. Starmer gave that invitation to Trump in Washington last week, noting that it was an “unprecedented” honor since Trump had already received the real treatment for Queen Elizabeth II during his first term.
Starmer insisted to legislators on Monday that the United States and Britain have “the closest relations”, and that it would be “a great mistake at a time like this suggesting that any weakening of that link is the way to follow for security and defense in Europe.”
& Copy 2025 the Canadian press