Overview

• Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that Canadians were 'not impressed' by the UK’s invitation to Donald Trump for an unprecedented second state visit.
• Carney argued the invitation undermined Canada’s sovereignty messaging, particularly as Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of annexing Canada as the 51st U.S. state.
• In response, Carney invited King Charles III to open Canada’s Parliament for the first time in nearly 50 years, framing the event as a deliberate assertion of Canadian independence.
• UK Cabinet Minister Pat McFadden defended the invitation, stating that the UK values its relationships with both the U.S. and Canada and is 'completely relaxed' about Carney's criticism.
• Preparations for King Charles’s parliamentary opening on May 27 continue, with the event viewed as a significant symbolic gesture of Canada’s sovereignty within the Commonwealth.