As the threat of sovereignty intensifies, King Charles gives his Canadian waiter a sword
King Charles showed his Canadian private waiters and messengers a new ritual sword at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, a symbolic gesture that adds to the significance as the country stares at US President Donald Trump and his increasingly powerful annexists mocking.
Royal Observers said it was the latest move by the country’s head of state Charles, showing solidarity with Canadians as Trump repeatedly called for the Commonwealth field to become the 51st state in the United States.
In the past two weeks alone, Charles has met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, wore his Canadian medals during a high-profile military visit, planted a red maple tree on the ground at Buckingham Palace, and is now giving his Canadian liaison and senior agreement officials atop the Parliament a A sword.
Charles, as a constitutional monarch, usually does not comment on the political issues of the day in public, but he can send messages through what he does and the people he meets with, just as the Queen often chooses about her costume.
In this case, Catherine, the Princess of Wales, also wore a red dress, and she was similar to the RCMP shoelaces when she sat in the front row of the Federal Day service last Monday.
Charles gave the Canadian Senate a black pole greeting Greg Peters, his sword among his audience at the official Royal residence in London on Wednesday. Peters was accompanied by Senate Speaker Raymond Gagné for diplomatic activities.
In the royal tradition, swords like this are seen as symbols of sovereignty. The Senate initially commissioned the sword to mark the change in domination from Elizabeth to Charles.
Buckingham Palace has no public comment on the King’s private audience.
But palace sources told CBC News that there was a particularly warm exchange between Peters, the firm monarchy originally from Prince Edward Island, and between sovereignty in the Sword Speech and the subsequent audience.
Palace sources said the King, Peters and Gagné had a 30-minute discussion on the topics of concern in Canada and internationally.
The King also reiterated his Flag Day news, referring to Charles’ February statement when he said Canada was “a country of pride, resilience and compassion” and that the sight of the Canadian maple leaf flag evoked “a sense of pride and admiration.”
A Gagné spokesman said the spokesman was in transit and had no interviews. Peters didn’t say anything either.
Peters is perhaps best known for slamming the door of the House of Commons with a black pole, calling on behalf of the monarch to the Senate Chamber to speak from the throne at the opening of the new parliamentary session. This is a practice that originates from Westminster Parliament tradition for 600 years.
In addition to the ritual, Peters is responsible for the security of Senate and administrative functions, such as organizational affairs and oath-in ceremony, as well as other responsibilities.
Nathan Tidridge is a high school teacher at Ontario Waterways, a Crown History expert and vice-chairman of the Canadian Official Institute.
He said handing the sword to someone like Peters at this moment is “a symbolic meaning of meaning.”
“When the country is under attack, the sword is coming – it’s amazing,” Tidridge said in an interview with CBC News.
“What you’re seeing is the strengthening of Canadian sovereignty. I’m worried that his government adviser just doesn’t know what to do. There are a lot he can do to highlight Canada, and he just needs to make better use of him.”
It is easy to see sword rituals as meaningless symbols—but symbols and rituals are “intensely related to national identity” and Canada needs to cherish them now more than ever before.
“We are in an existential crisis and Canadians are looking for things that are going to really gather around now – the royal family should be one of them,” he said.
Wednesday’s sword exchange and audience was the second time the king received a Canadian delegation in two weeks.
Charles met with Trudeau and Ralph Goodale, Canadian High Commissioner of Sandringham House in northeast London, following the future summit in Ukraine.
Trudeau said the two discussed Canada’s sovereignty and the country’s “independent future.”
The day after the Trudeau meeting, Charles toured a Royal Navy ship in a naval outfit with Canadian medals.
In social media posts, the Canadian High Commission thanked the King for what he called “meaningful gestures.”
King Charles and other royals showed some subtle but noteworthy signs of support in their economic struggle against the United States.
And, earlier this week, Charles planted a red maple tree on the ground at Buckingham Palace.
The planting of trees is described as a tribute to his late mother and in honor of the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy, a flooded network of forest conservation projects – but the symbolism is not lost in the Royal Watchmen.
Christopher McCreery is an expert in Canadian honors and royalty. He said the gestures were like Elizabeth’s “breast battle”, where she chose a specific brooch for a specific state visit.
He said Charles “can wear a bunch of different uniforms” when he visited naval vessels, excluding Canadian billionaires.
“I think the speech in the 51st State has become very boring. So, I’m sure it’s just as annoying to the King of Canada.”
