King Charles has expressed his "deepest affection" for Canada amid Donald Trump's threats to annex the country.
His Majesty held a private audience at Buckingham Palace yesterday with two senior Canadian officials.
The meeting with Greg Peters, the senate's Usher of the Black Rod, and Raymonde Gagné, the speaker, comes at a time of heightened tensions.
While such meetings are private, they are understood to have discussed topics "of great concern to all parties, both nationally and internationally".
The timing offered a chance for the King to reaffirm his support for Canada.
The King warmly greeted his Canadian visitors in both English and French ahead of the 30-minute meeting.
The audience had been long scheduled for Mr Peters to receive a new ceremonial sword commissioned by the senate in the King's honour.
A royal source suggested it would have been unusual if they had not discussed President Trump's provocative statements over Canada's trade tariffs and sovereignty.
The meeting offered a timely opportunity for the King to "reaffirm" the sentiments he shared on the 60th anniversary of the Canadian flag last month.
Then, the King called the flag an international symbol of "a proud, resilient and compassionate country".
The US president has repeatedly suggested that the United States could absorb Canada and make it the 51st state.
On Tuesday, he threatened to double his planned tariffs on steel and aluminium for Canada from 25 per cent to 50 per cent.
Hours later, he halted the plan.
Mark Carney, the incoming Canadian prime minister, has pledged to keep retaliatory tariffs in place until the US commits to free trade.
The King added that Canada's flag "never fails to elicit a sense of pride and admiration, as I recall with the deepest affection my many Canadian visits and friendships".
The monarch is said to be "very conscious" of his global responsibility and matters of "delicate diplomacy".
As head of state for both the UK and Canada, the King's role is "highly significant".
A royal source revealed the King is planning a tour of Canada in 2026.
"His role by necessity and constitutional obligation is to offer symbolic gestures, rather than express comment," the source said.
The King has invited President Trump to the UK for an unprecedented second state visit, as well as an earlier visit to Scotland.
The audience came just days after the King was urged to stand up to the US president over his threat to absorb Canada.
Earlier this month, the King met Justin Trudeau, the outgoing Canadian prime minister, at Sandringham.
Issues including "standing up for our sovereignty and our independence as a nation" are said to have been raised.
The previous day, the King hosted Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, at his Norfolk estate.
This meeting reportedly irked Donald Trump, with diplomatic sources claiming he had "gone cool" on the UK.
Both audiences were described as "routine but highly significant, given the global context".
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His Majesty held a private audience at Buckingham Palace yesterday with two senior Canadian officials.
The meeting with Greg Peters, the senate's Usher of the Black Rod, and Raymonde Gagné, the speaker, comes at a time of heightened tensions.
While such meetings are private, they are understood to have discussed topics "of great concern to all parties, both nationally and internationally".
The timing offered a chance for the King to reaffirm his support for Canada.
The King warmly greeted his Canadian visitors in both English and French ahead of the 30-minute meeting.
The audience had been long scheduled for Mr Peters to receive a new ceremonial sword commissioned by the senate in the King's honour.
A royal source suggested it would have been unusual if they had not discussed President Trump's provocative statements over Canada's trade tariffs and sovereignty.
The meeting offered a timely opportunity for the King to "reaffirm" the sentiments he shared on the 60th anniversary of the Canadian flag last month.
Then, the King called the flag an international symbol of "a proud, resilient and compassionate country".
The US president has repeatedly suggested that the United States could absorb Canada and make it the 51st state.
On Tuesday, he threatened to double his planned tariffs on steel and aluminium for Canada from 25 per cent to 50 per cent.
Hours later, he halted the plan.
Mark Carney, the incoming Canadian prime minister, has pledged to keep retaliatory tariffs in place until the US commits to free trade.
The King added that Canada's flag "never fails to elicit a sense of pride and admiration, as I recall with the deepest affection my many Canadian visits and friendships".
The monarch is said to be "very conscious" of his global responsibility and matters of "delicate diplomacy".
As head of state for both the UK and Canada, the King's role is "highly significant".
A royal source revealed the King is planning a tour of Canada in 2026.
"His role by necessity and constitutional obligation is to offer symbolic gestures, rather than express comment," the source said.
The King has invited President Trump to the UK for an unprecedented second state visit, as well as an earlier visit to Scotland.
The audience came just days after the King was urged to stand up to the US president over his threat to absorb Canada.
Earlier this month, the King met Justin Trudeau, the outgoing Canadian prime minister, at Sandringham.
Issues including "standing up for our sovereignty and our independence as a nation" are said to have been raised.
The previous day, the King hosted Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, at his Norfolk estate.
This meeting reportedly irked Donald Trump, with diplomatic sources claiming he had "gone cool" on the UK.
Both audiences were described as "routine but highly significant, given the global context".
Find Out More...