King Charles III says Canada faces unprecedented dangers as Trump threatens annexation

King Charles III said Canada is facing unprecedented challenges in a world that's never been more dangerous as he opened the Canadian Parliament on Tuesday (May 27, 2025) with a speech widely viewed as a show of support in the face of annexation threats by U.S. President Donald Trump.

The king is the head of state in Canada, which is a member of the Commonwealth of former colonies. Mr. Trump’s repeated suggestion that Canada become the 51st state prompted Prime Minister Mark Carney to invite Mr. Charles to give a speech from the throne outlining the Liberal government's priorities for the new session of Parliament.

“We must face reality: since the Second World War, our world has never been more dangerous and unstable. Canada is facing challenges that, in our lifetimes, are unprecedented," Mr. Charles said in French, one of Canada's official languages.