OTTAWA, Ontario >> King Charles III arrived Monday in Ottawa on a visit that Canada’s leader says will underscore his nation’s sovereignty amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s talk of the United States annexing its northern neighbor.

Trump’s repeated suggestion that the U.S. annex Canada prompted Prime Minister Mark Carney to invite Charles to give the speech from the throne that will outline his government’s agenda for the new Parliament.

The king is head of state in Canada, a member of the British Commonwealth of former colonies.

“This historic honor matches the weight of our times. It speaks to our enduring tradition and friendship, to the vitality of our constitutional monarchy and our distinct identity, and to the historic ties that crises only fortify,” Carney said in a statement.

“Canada’s strength lies in building a strong future while embracing its English, French, and Indigenous roots — the union of peoples that forms our bedrock.”

Carney, the new prime minister and a former head of the Bank of England, and Canada’s first Indigenous governor general, Mary Simon, the king’s representative in Canada, greeted the king and Queen Camilla at the airport. A 25-member honor guard from the Royal Canadian Dragoons, for which the king is colonel-in-chief, was also on hand.

The King also dropped the ceremonial first puck or ball during a street hockey game at a community event.

Charles and Camilla’s presence “reaffirms the enduring constitutional bond that has shaped Canada’s journey into a proud and independent nation,” Simon said in a statement Monday.

“Their visit invites us to reflect on who we are and to celebrate our distinct national identity.”

It is rare for the monarch to deliver the speech from the throne in Canada. Charles’ mother, Queen Elizabeth II, did it twice in her 70-year reign, the last time in 1977.

Canadians are largely indifferent to the monarchy, but Carney has been eager to show the differences between Canada and the United States. The king’s visit clearly underscores Canada’s sovereignty, he said.

The new U.S. ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra, said Canadians should move on from the 51st state talk, telling the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that if there’s a message to be sent there are easier ways to do that, such as calling him or calling the president.