King Charles Arrives in North America amid Ongoing Rift with Prince Harry

King Charles is kicking off his first visit to North America since becoming Sovereign amid lingering tensions with his son, Prince Harry.

The 76-year-old monarch and Queen Camilla, 77, arrived in Ottawa, Canada, on May 26 for a whirlwind visit lasting less than 24 hours as the monarch continues weekly cancer treatments.

Just as King Charles touched down on the same continent where his son lives, Harry quietly traveled to Shanghai, China, for a surprise appearance at a global travel and tourism conference. The Duke of Sussex, 40, lives in Montecito, California, with his wife, Meghan Markle, and their two children, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 3.

Earlier this month, Harry spoke with BBC News just hours after losing a legal challenge over his downgraded U.K. security, which was reduced after he stepped back as a working royal in 2020.

“I would love reconciliation with my family. There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore,” the Duke of Sussex said.

“Life is precious. I don’t know how much longer my father has,” he added, referencing King Charles’ cancer diagnosis. “He won’t speak to me because of this security stuff, but it would be nice to reconcile.”

Prince Harry has argued that as head of state, his father could help restore the security he is fighting for — a notion the palace has denied.
Unlike previous royal visits, Charles’ trip to Canada will be brief. This marks King Charles’ twentieth visit to Canada and Queen Camilla’s sixth.

Given the short timing, Charles has plans to get right to work upon his arrival in Canada, starting with a community event where the couple will meet Canadians representing organizations from across the country.

Next, the King will hold an audience with Governor General Mary Simon before meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Later in the day, Queen Camilla was expected to be sworn in as a member of the Canadian Privy Council.

No royal visit would be complete without a symbolic tree planting. The couple is set to plant a commemorative tree at Rideau Hall, the official residence of the governor general, near the sugar maple they planted there in 2017.

The day concludes with a reception honoring Canada’s 10 provincial lieutenant governors and three territorial commissioners.

The centerpiece of the visit comes on May 27, when Charles — Canada’s Head of State — attends the State Opening of Parliament alongside Queen Camilla. He will then deliver the Speech from the Throne in the Senate Chamber.

This marks only the second time a Sovereign has opened Canada’s Parliament — following his late mother, Queen Elizabeth, who did so in October 1957. The occasion is being viewed as “a significant moment between the Head of State and the Canadian people,” as it will be just the third time in history that a King delivers the Speech from the Throne.

In doing so, Charles will draw on more than five decades of public service and diplomatic experience. As he delivers the Speech from the Throne, the King must reflect the policies and priorities of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney—demonstrating his solidarity with the government and the people of the nation he serves as Head of State.

At the same time, Charles must carefully navigate diplomatic sensitivities to avoid straining the U.K.’s relationship with its other key North American ally — the United States.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent election victory was widely seen as a rejection of President Donald Trump’s agenda, particularly his push for higher tariffs and his controversial remarks suggesting Canada could become the “51st state.” Indeed, Carney has said that Canadians were not impressed by the U.K.’s invitation to President Trump for a second state visit, the BBC reported.