This isn’t gossip or chatter; it’s been confirmed. In Mark Carney’s first press conference after becoming Prime Minister, he announced that King Charles III will travel to Canada to personally deliver the Speech from the Throne. That hasn’t happened since Queen Elizabeth II did so in 1977, a moment steeped in symbolism during the Trudeau Sr. years.
Usually, the Throne Speech is read by the Governor General, in our case, Mary Simon, a proud and historic choice herself. But this time, the Crown isn’t just sending a representative. This time, the Crown is showing up.
And that matters, maybe not to everyone. Perhaps not to staunch anti-monarchists or younger generations who understandably question the monarchy’s relevance. Heck, I know I have questioned it. But to me, at least for today, it matters.
I would like to tell you a little story.
In 2002, the Queen and Prince Philip came to Moncton, New Brunswick. My father, 79 at the time, a Second World War veteran, was receiving an award on behalf of The Canadian Aviation Historical Society. He had been fully briefed on royal protocol: no casual conversation, no jokes, no stepping outside the lines.
Naturally, he broke a rule.
He said something that made the Queen laugh out loud. Not politely, genuinely. And in that moment, Prince Philip, then 81 and also a veteran, turned to my father and said: “What a cheeky young man.” Two veterans. Two old souls from two very different worlds. But for that one second, connected.
And maybe that cheekiness wasn’t just my father’s. Maybe it was a little bit Canadian. Because let’s face it, for all our global reputation as the polite ones, the nice ones, the peacekeepers and middle-grounders, we’ve shown something else these past few months.
When our sovereignty was threatened, we didn’t flinch. When tariffs were imposed, we didn’t bow. When democracy itself came under pressure, we didn’t roll over. We got cheeky. We got bold.
We got Canadian.
So whether you love or loathe the monarchy, King Charles’ decision to come here, despite serious health concerns and a world full of other priorities, means something. It’s not about pomp. It’s about presence. And presence means power.
You don’t have to be a monarchist to understand why this matters. You don’t even have to agree with the institution to acknowledge what this moment represents. Because right now, at this moment in history, it’s not the time to get caught up in that debate. It’s the time to recognize support when it’s given, and strength when it stands beside us. Remember that we are one of fifty-five Commonwealth countries that cover all corners of the planet and some of them are significant allies. Because the monarchs attendance and recognition, may indicate that the “nice guys” on the block are more recognized, tougher (and cheekier) than they look.
Sometimes, diplomacy looks like quiet defiance. Sometimes, a nation’s character shows up in a moment of laughter. And sometimes, it may be represented by a simple statement such as “What a cheeky young man.” But maybe that cheeky young (not young) man was just representative of a darn well cheeky nation.
Nancy's Notes 