Politics

Carney expected to meet King Charles during his first trip abroad as prime minister

Just days after being sworn into office, Prime Minister Mark Carney will embark on his first trip abroad in the new job. His office says he'll travel to Paris, then to London where he's expected to meet with King Charles only weeks after his predecessor, Justin Trudeau, held his own meeting with the monarch.

PM will also meet with the French president in Paris, Nunavut premier in Iqaluit

A man stands at a podium
Prime Minister Mark Carney holds a news conference following a swearing-in ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on Friday. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

Just days after being sworn into office, Prime Minister Mark Carney will embark on his first trip abroad in the new job. Carney's office says he'll travel to Paris, then to London where he's expected to meet with King Charles only weeks after his predecessor, Justin Trudeau, held his own meeting with the monarch.

On Saturday afternoon, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) released details of Carney's trip, which also includes a stop in Iqaluit. The PMO said the trip is meant "to strengthen two of our closest and longest-standing economic and security partnerships, and to reaffirm Canada's Arctic security and sovereignty."

Carney will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron while in Paris, according to the PMO.

"With the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement as the foundation, the leaders will focus on their shared commitment to build stronger economic, commercial, and defence ties," the PMO said in a news release.

While in London, Carney will meet with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer. "Their discussions will focus on strengthening transatlantic security, growing the AI sector and the strong commercial relationship between Canada and the United Kingdom," the PMO said.

Two cleanshaven men in suits and ties, one wearing glasses, are shown huddled in conversation in a closeup photo.
France's President Emmanuel Macron, left, and Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer are seen at the European leaders' summit to discuss Ukraine, at Lancaster House, London, on March 2. (Justin Tallis/The Associated Press)

The two prime ministers will also "explore ways to deepen bilateral trade" through the Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement as well as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, the PMO added.

Carney is also expected to have an audience with King Charles, meaning the monarch will have met with two Canadian prime ministers in the span of roughly two weeks.

In early March, former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with King Charles to discuss "matters of importance to Canada and to Canadians." Their meeting came as questions swirled over why the monarch had not publicly commented on U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to annex Canada.

The PMO did not share any information on what Carney will discuss with the King.

On top of meeting with Trudeau, King Charles has made some moves to show solidarity with Canada against Trump's annexation talks. He wore his Canadian medals during a high-profile military visit, planted a red maple tree on the grounds of Buckingham Palace and gave his personal Canadian liaison in Parliament a sword. 

King Charles bestows a new ceremonial sword to the Usher of the Black Rod of the Senate of Canada Gregory Peters with Speaker of the Senate of Canada Raymonde Gagne present at Buckingham Palace, London, March 12, 2025.
King Charles bestows a new ceremonial sword to the Usher of the Black Rod of the Senate of Canada Gregory Peters with Speaker of the Senate of Canada Raymonde Gagne present, at Buckingham Palace in London on Wednesday. (Aaron Chown/PA)

But Charles has not spoken publicly about the Canada-U.S. friction. He also created a stir in late February by inviting Trump to Balmoral, a royal estate in Scotland. The invitation was brought to Trump by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer during a visit to the White House.

Carney travelling to Iqaluit

During his visit to Iqaluit, Carney will meet with members of the Iqaluit Patrol of 1 Canadian Rangers Patrol Group — "a group critical to Arctic stability and security," the PMO said in its news release.

The prime minister will also meet with Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok "to learn more about the evolving needs and priorities of Arctic and Northern communities," the PMO said.

Portrait of man in suit.
Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok meets with then prime minister Justin Trudeau, not shown, in his office on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Oct. 24, 2022. (Justin Tang/CP)

In early March, Akeeagok said his territory relies on imported goods and is vulnerable to the effects of a trade war with the U.S.

"It is very unfortunate that the U.S. has brought forward this tariff war on us all," said Akeeagok in an interview with CBC News at the time.

After Trump launched his trade war, the Nunavut government said it's "actively monitoring" supply chain disruptions and working with contractors and suppliers to make sure infrastructure projects — which are now cast into uncertainty — can continue.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Benjamin Lopez Steven

Associate Producer

Benjamin Lopez Steven is a reporter and associate producer for CBC Politics. He was also a 2024 Joan Donaldson Scholar and a graduate of Carleton University. You can reach him at benjamin.steven@cbc.ca or find him on Twitter at @bensteven_s.

With files from Liny Lamberink