King Charles issues ‘message to people of Canada’ days after Meghan Markle leaves Invictus Games. King Charles has extended a “message to the people of Canada” shortly after Meghan Markle’s recent visit.
The Duchess of Sussex was in British Columbia with Prince Harry for the seventh Invictus Games, hosted in Vancouver and Whistler. Meghan returned to California on Tuesday (February 11) as scheduled, to reunite with their children at home. Following her exit, the Royal Family released a touching message via social media on Saturday (February 15), celebrating the 60th anniversary of the National Flag of Canada. The post reminisced about the historic moment in 1965 when the iconic red and white maple leaf flag was hoisted for the first time on Parliament Hill.
Accompanying the post was a bilingual letter, reflecting Canada’s dual linguistic heritage, which paid tribute to the flag’s significance, reports Aberdeen Live. “Today my wife [Queen Camilla] and I [King Charles] join with Canadians across Canada, and around the world, to commemorate an important milestone the 60th anniversary of the Canadian flag.” The King expressed his personal connection to the emblem:
“On February 15, 1965, the red and white maple leaf was first flown on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Since that time, it has become internationally recognised as a symbol of a proud, resilient and compassionate country.”
He added, “For my own part, it is a symbol that never fails to elicit a sense of pride and admiration, as I recall with the deepest affection my many Canadian visits and friendships.”
Long before the iconic red and white maple leaf became synonymous with Canada, the nation’s flag was known as the Canadian Red Ensign. It featured a field of red, complemented by the Union Jack positioned in the upper-left corner, alongside the shield from the coat of arms of Canada on the right. This bit of history surfaces amidst several royals visiting Canada for the conclusion of the Invictus Games. Among the dignitaries, Danish royals Prince Joachim and Princess Marie joined Prince Harry after his wife’s exit.
They were present at multiple events throughout Friday and Saturday, witnessing the athletic prowess of injured or ill servicemen and women from around the globe. Other notable figures at the events included Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Nelly Furtado, and Michael Buble. As the Games approach their finale this weekend, culminating with the closing ceremony slated for today (Sunday, February 16), Harry reflected on the decision to bring the competition back to Canada, remarking:
“There’s a reason the Invictus Games have come back to Canada, because you guys have snow! ” He continued, voicing his appreciation for the support received: “It is one of the most incredible things. I am so grateful is the entire organizing committee and the government-every single level, here in Canada, for making this, we couldn’t have done this without support right from the get-go. “And for those of you that don’t know, it is a logistical nightmare to be able to pull this together and the team have done it and we’ve now got one year to work all together and to give people incredible in some instances, life-changing experience to these competitors and their families.”
King Charles snubbed as Northern Ireland leader refuses to join Windsor stay. Michelle O’Neill was asked to attend a private dinner hosted by the Monarch at Windsor Castle.
King Charles’s invitation to stay the night at Windsor Castle has been snubbed by Sinn Fein’s first minister in Northern Ireland.
Michelle O’Neill was asked to attend a private dinner hosted by the Monarch before spending the night along with Keir Starmer and other leaders of the devolved nations.
Ms O’Neill has been slammed for the decision, with one Unionist source telling the Telegraph: “You can’t claim to be the First Minister for all and then snub the King.” The leaders of Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England were asked to join the King for a dinner at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, with some staying overnight and being treating a royal breakfast the following morning, as per GB News.
While Sir Keir Starmer, Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney, and the First Minister of Wales, Eluned Morgan, are still expected to attend, there will be one chair empty at the dining table though the reasons behind Ms O’Neill’s snub remain unclear. A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland executive declined to comment but a source told The Telegraph that the refusal may have followed pressure from the minister’s Republican support base.