Charles' boost for dear friend

KING Charles and Queen Camilla arrived in Canada for a visit that can underscore its sovereignty in the face of tensions with the US.

- By Emily Ferguson Royal Editor, in Ottawa

The couple received a ceremonial welcome as they touched down in Ottawa for a two-day trip yesterday.

The monarch hopes the whirlwind tour of the Commonwealth nation will be "impactful', according to Buckingham Palace.

And Canada's prime minister Mark Carney said: "The royal visit is a reminder of the bond between Canada and the crown one forged over generations, shaped by shared histories and grounded in common values." It came before the King

'It is a reminder of the bond forged over generations'

attends the state opening of Parliament today the first British monarch to do so since 1977.

It is expected to include a defence of Canada's sovereignty after calls from President Donald Trump for it to become the 51st US state.