Montreal, Canada – As the United Kingdom prepares for the coronation of King Charles III, more than 5,000km (3,100 miles) away, in the largest country in the British Commonwealth, a celebration will be held to usher in “a new chapter”.
Set to coincide with the king officially taking the crown at London’s Westminster Abbey on Saturday, the Canadian government is hosting an event in the capital, Ottawa, to welcome the new British monarch as Canada’s head of state.
“His Majesty has a long history and a special relationship with Canada, and we look forward to celebrating his Coronation in May,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement announcing the event.
But despite the government’s plans, King Charles III’s coronation has been largely met with a collective shrug in the North American country of about 38 million people – evidence, experts say, of a declining view of the British monarchy amongst most Canadians.
“A majority at this point in this country clearly seems to think the time has come to move on. Whether that will happen is another story, but that is certainly the sentiment,” said Philip Resnick, a professor emeritus of political science at the University of British Columbia.
“Which is why there’s none of the fervour and excitement that might have been surrounding this event,” he told Al Jazeera, adding that the monarchy is viewed as a relic of “another era” in the eyes of many. “The sense is that, ‘Charles, what does it have to do with us?’”
2023-05-02 12:50:33 ‘Another era’: As King Charles III takes crown, Canada shrugs
Original from www.aljazeera.com