King Charles and Queen Camilla will head to Parliament Hill in a horse-drawn carriage this morning. King Charles will deliver the throne speech to mark the opening of Parliament. It’s the first time a Canadian monarch has done so since Queen Elizabeth opened Parliament in 1977. After the speech, the royal couple will visit the the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and then head back to the United Kingdom, after spending just about 24 hours in Canada. King Charles and Queen Camilla
and spent the afternoon at a local farmers market before planting a tree and then holding private audiences with Prime Minister Mark Carney, Gov. Gen. Mary Simon and Indigenous leaders. It’s the couple’s first visit to Canada since Charles became King.
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King Charles and Queen Camilla’s itinerary for Tuesday:
9:50 a.m. — Departure for the Senate of Canada building (open to the public)
The Royal couple will travel to Parliament Hill in style, riding in a horse-drawn carriage. It will be the first time the black, box-drawn carriage is used by the RCMP, according to CTV. It was built in the 1800s but fell into disrepair. A Quebec man found it in St. Isidore, Que., and restored it before donating it to the RCMP Musical Ride, CTV reports.
The carriage will travel along Wellington Street from the Bank of Canada to the Senate of Canada Building in Canada’s State Landau, escorted by 20 horses of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Musical Ride.
10:15 a.m. — Arrival at the Senate of Canada building (open to the public)
After he arrives at the Senate of Canada building, The King will receive full military honours, including a Royal salute, a 100-person guard of honour from the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment, an inspection of the guard and the band, and a 21-gun salute, according to a government other of Canada website.
11 a.m. — Speech from the Throne
King Charles will open the 45th Parliament of Canada and deliver the Speech from the Throne. The Throne speech opens every new session of Parliament and introduces the federal government’s goals. The Senate and the House of Commons cannot conduct public business until the throne speech is delivered, usually by the Governor General, the representative of Canada’s monarch.
11:55 a.m. – Wreath laying at the National War Memorial (open to the public)
King Charles and Queen Camilla will mark the 25th anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The tomb is located at the National War Memorial and “serves as a focal point for national commemoration, honouring the more than 116,000 Canadians who have given their lives in service to their country,” according to a government of Canada website. King Charles will lay a wreath and Queen Camilla will lay a bouquet of flowers and the couple will pay their respects to Canadians who died in war.
After visiting the tomb, dignitaries and a departure guard will bid the couple farewell, to cap off just under 24 hours in Canada. The couple will head for the airport to return back to the United Kingdom.
