British royals’ support for Canada a discreet show of medals, music and red

The Palace makes a point of staying apolitical but nevertheless has found ways to express solidarity with the Commonwealth nation in the face of Donald Trump’s antics.

King Charles won’t want to be caught in the middle between Mark Carney of Canada, left, and President Donald Trump. Picture montage: The Times

Canadians looking for a show of support from the royal family amid the impending trade war with the United States might think it has not been forthcoming, but this merely means they have not been looking hard enough.

Plenty of signs of a pro-Canada stance have been on display in recent weeks, albeit subtle ones in keeping with the art of royal diplomacy.

Perhaps the clearest example was to be found on Commonwealth Day on Monday. Attending the service at Westminster Abbey for the first time in two years, the Princess of Wales chose a coat-dress by Catherine Walker and hat by Gina Foster, both in the shade of the Canadian flag. Those close to the Palace note that “nothing is a coincidence” when it comes to royal symbolism and dressing.

The colour of Kate’s outfit has been interpreted as a symbol of support for Canada. Picture: Richard Pohle/The Times

A closer look revealed that the King and Queen were both sitting on chairs given to Westminster Abbey by the Canada Club.

Crafted from Canadian birch, they were presented to Charles’s grandparents, George VI and Queen Elizabeth, in memory of Canadians who died in the Second World War. The matching faldstools, or kneeling desks, show the arms of Canada on the front, while the seat legs are engraved with a maple leaf design.

The royal family know that a little can go a long way when it comes to soft power. A Palace source said: “The King knows that seemingly small gestures can send a reassuring sign of recognition about what is going on around the world.”

King Charles wore Canadian honours when he visited HMS Prince of Wales. Picture: Rory Arnold/Ministry of Defence/PA

This was evident when Charles flew out to the Channel to visit HMS Prince of Wales this month. Keen eyes noted that the King was wearing Canadian honours on his uniform, including the Order of Canada. Carolyn Harris, a royal commentator and instructor of history at the university of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies, described the gesture as “significant”.

Palace sources said it was not unusual for the King to wear the Canadian honours, but it was a unique event – the first time a reigning monarch had visited a warship at sea for nearly 40 years. And timing is everything.

The visit to the Royal Navy’s flagship took place just hours after the King had received Justin Trudeau, the outgoing Canadian prime minister, at Sandringham.

Taking to social media afterwards, Trudeau said: “I met with His Majesty King Charles III this morning. We spoke about matters of importance to Canadians – including, above all, Canada’s sovereign and independent future.”

Charles met Justin Trudeau, the outgoing Canadian prime minister, at Sandringham this month. Picture: Aaron Chown/Reuters

The Palace never reveals details of the monarch’s conversations with world leaders. Sources said only that Charles was “worried” about the situation in Canada, messaging designed not to provoke President Trump, who has been invited to the UK for a second state visit.

Some commentators in Canada believe the King should be less subtle and instead say something explicit about sovereignty after Trump said that to avoid new trade tariffs the country should become the 51st American state.

To that end, Palace sources point out that the King’s role is to act on the advice of the UK government and the Canadian government, as well as the other realms he serves. Staying apolitical does not, however, mean that allegiance cannot be shown in other ways.

A Palace source said: “The King is mindful that, as head of state for Canada as well as the UK, he has important constitutional duties to uphold. In a delicate but determined way, the royal family are playing their part in demonstrating that this is foremost in their minds – and are actively finding appropriate ways to do that.”

Some signs may be coincidental but are nevertheless influential. On Tuesday, the King planted a red maple tree at Buckingham Palace to celebrate the success of the global network of Commonwealth forests.

The choice of tree, with its obvious Canadian link, was chosen months before Trump announced punitive tariffs on Canada.

However, the Palace was nevertheless happy to point out that the tree stands in recognition of the King’s “longstanding commitment to environmental conservation and the enduring bond between the nations of the Commonwealth”.

The King presented a ceremonial sword to his visitors from the Canadian senate. Picture: Aarib Chown/WPA Pool/Getty Images

On Wednesday, the King received Greg Peters, the Canadian Usher of the Black Rod, and Raymonde Gagne, the Speaker of the Canadian senate, at Buckingham Palace.

During the meeting Charles bestowed upon Peters a new ceremonial sword, which had been commissioned by the Canadian senate in the King’s honour to mark the change of reign.

This was understood to have been a chance for the monarch to reassert sentiments shared recently on the 60th anniversary of the Canadian flag, when he declared the maple leaf to be “a symbol of a proud, resilient and compassionate country”.

Some in Canada have been keen to point out that the King has not visited the country since he ascended the throne. They acknowledge, however, that his travel plans were seriously curtailed last year when he was diagnosed with cancer.

Mark Carney, Canada’s next prime minister and the former governor of the Bank of England, already knows the King, and a meeting between the two is understood to be a priority.

In an interview with The Times, the Canadian foreign minister, Melanie Joly, deployed her own form of understated diplomacy when she said that a visit from the King “would be seen in a very positive way”.

The Times