Harper and Trudeau share laughs, and other lighter throne speech moments

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Politics·Analysis

Despite the pomp and condition surrounding the code from the throne, the moments starring up to it were each but formal.

Jokes, sneakers successful the Senate enclosure and different moments that caught our eye

Verity Stevenson · CBC News

· Posted: May 27, 2025 6:21 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

People chat unneurotic  successful  a room.

Canada's erstwhile premier ministers Justin Trudeau and Stephen Harper were seen laughing unneurotic earlier King Charles's speech. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

If you tuned successful for the clip betwixt King Charles and Queen Camilla's accomplishment astatine the Senate and the infinitesimal the King really began the code from the throne, you astir apt noticed a batch of things happened. 

Some of them were a small unceremonious for specified pomp and condition that the 2nd time of the royal sojourn held. 

Former premier curate Kim Campbell, who was there, whitethorn person enactment it best.

"What was absorbing was the absorbing operation of informality and formality," she told CBC News.

In lawsuit you missed them — oregon if you privation to cognize a small much astir what unfolded successful the Senate enclosure earlier the code — present are the moments that caught our attention.

Who's-who of Canadian politics

The lawsuit was a uncommon gathering of immoderate of the astir important figures successful Canadian politics. Former premier ministers oregon their widows were successful attendance, including Mila Mulroney and Margaret Trudeau, as good arsenic erstwhile governors general. 

People beryllium   astatine  chairs.

Former governors wide of Canada David Johnston and Michaëlle Jean, and erstwhile viceregal consort of Canada, John Ralston Saul, sat unneurotic successful the Senate Chamber. (Chris Jackson/Reuters)

There were besides a fewer notable absences, specified arsenic erstwhile premier curate Jean Chrétien, arsenic good arsenic erstwhile politician wide Julie Payette, who resigned successful 2021 pursuing a study holding her liable for a toxic enactment environment. 

In Chrétien's case, the nonagenarian underwent country and is expected to beryllium discharged from the infirmary Wednesday. 

Former governmental rivals laughter together

We saw 2 erstwhile rivals acceptable speech their differences and beryllium beside each other: Justin Trudeau and his predecessor Stephen Harper.

The erstwhile premier ministers were each successful powerfulness for astir a decennary and person been regarded as representing polar opposites of the governmental spectrum. And yet contiguous they were seen successful a affable conversation, exchanging jokes and laughs. 

To beryllium a alert connected that wall.

Two men successful  suits laugh.

Trudeau and Harper were fierce governmental rivals but appeared affable connected Tuesday morning. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press)

The different erstwhile premier curate contiguous was Campbell, the lone pistillate successful Canada to person held the role.

"It was a madhouse! They were each moving astir talking to each other. We're a law-abiding but unruly radical of people," Campbell said.

At 1 point, erstwhile politician wide Michaëlle Jean could beryllium seen starring Charles by the manus crossed the Senate level to present him to Assembly of First Nations Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak.

People beryllium   connected  a seat  successful  a well-appointed room.

Former premier ministers, from left, Kim Campbell, Harper, Trudeau and his parent and the widow of erstwhile premier curate Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Margaret Trudeau, each beryllium unneurotic connected a seat successful the Senate Chamber. (Chris Young/Pool/via Reuters)

"There was a benignant of deeper consciousness of delight successful the connectedness of radical being determination and the historical value of the occasion," Campbell said.

Other dignitaries included Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre, President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami Natan Obed, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, erstwhile politician wide Adrienne Clarkson and Chris Phillips, erstwhile defenceman for the Ottawa Senators.

Much ado astir a shoe

On societal media, a manner infinitesimal took the barroom and polarized radical astatine their keyboards.

Justin Trudeau's footwear was unorthodox for specified a ceremonial (and, well, royal) mounting that included radical wearing elaborate robes, hats and successful the lawsuit of Usher Greg Peters — a fancy black rod. 

A bluish  and orangish  suede sneaker.

A presumption of the Adidas Gazelle trainers worn by Trudeau successful the Senate Chamber. (Aaron Chown/Reuters)

Trudeau chose a brace of suede green-and-orange Adidas Gazelle sneakers. Wearing kicks to the third-ever juncture of the monarch speechmaking the code from the throne prompted a batch of online side-eye, but successful a mode symbolized the informality astatine a clip of formality that Campbell described.

2 kisses — due to the fact that it's French! 

Speaking of Trudeaus and informality: While determination whitethorn person been immoderate airy pushing and shoving to get a accidental to shingle hands with the King and Queen, astir did conscionable that — shingle hands with the royals.

But Margaret Trudeau, who's known for her ain quirky moments successful the different accepted scenery of Canadian politics, gave the King 2 kisses, 1 connected each cheek.

Two radical   locomotion  connected  a reddish  carpet.

Former premier curate Justin Trudeau walks with his parent Margaret Trudeau to their seats. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press)

It was a lukewarm clasp from a erstwhile premier minister's woman and the parent of different — who would person met the King erstwhile helium was young and inactive the Prince of Wales.

And it was besides possibly a motion to Quebec, wherever the two-kiss greeting is the norm, arsenic good arsenic a spot of a distaste for the monarchy (which Margaret Trudeau astir apt does not share).

Charles and Queen Camilla appeared to revel successful each of it. The King is known for enjoying gathering radical and asking questions with what immoderate accidental seems to be genuine curiosity. 

Two radical   beryllium   astatine  thrones and smile.

King Charles and Queen Camilla appeared to bask Tuesday's events. (Chris Jackson/Pool/via Reuters)

Another speech stood out, betwixt Charles and existent Prime Minister Mark Carney that lasted respective minutes. While the 2 had had an authoritative backstage assemblage unneurotic the time before, Carney stepped implicit to the King arsenic helium sat successful the throne, waiting for things to proceed.

The 2 spoke astatine magnitude and person a spot of shared history. Carney is the erstwhile politician of the Bank of England and successful a celebrated nationalist quality during his mandate, held a quality league reassuring the British colonisation arsenic markets tanked pursuing Brexit. Another connection: Carney's member Sean is the main operating serviceman astatine Kensington Palace.

A antheral   successful  a suit   speaks to different  antheral   sitting connected  a throne.

Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke with King Charles for respective minutes earlier the code began. (Aaron Chown/Reuters)

Though the King and Queen's visit was brief, astatine hardly 24 hours successful the capital, shaking hands and gathering people is what they spent astir of their clip doing — from Lansdowne Park to the Rideau Hall tract and the Ottawa airdrome tarmac, wherever their departure was somewhat delayed by Charles speaking with respective guards, ministers and others gathered to nonstop the royals off. 

They near space, it seems, for immoderate humanity amid the formality.

And now, a caller authorities gets to work.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Verity is simply a newsman for CBC successful Montreal. She antecedently worked for the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star and the New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal.

    With files from Ashley Burke, Michael Woods and Radio-Canada's Laurence Martin

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