Thousands of Ottawans welcomed King Charles III and his wife, Queen Camilla, to Ottawa on their historic royal visit to tour the capital and open Parliament.
From touchdown at the airport to the ceremonial puck drop at Lansdowne Park to the gardens of Rideau Hall to the streets of Ottawa, there were high-profile Canadians alongside the Royals throughout the visit.
Here’s a look at who was spotted with the King and Queen during their visit to Canada.
Desiree Scott, Canadian Olympian, and Chris Phillips, former Ottawa Senators defenceman
Scott is a Canadian Olympian soccer player from Winnipeg. She won gold in the Tokyo 2020 Games and is also a two-time bronze medallist from London 2012 and Rio 2016. Scott currently plays for the Canadian national team and Ottawa Rapid FC.
Phillips was a member of the Ottawa Senators for 17 seasons as a defenceman.
Scott and Phillips were the designated hockey captains who participated in a ceremonial puck drop with the King at Lansdowne Park on May 26.
King Charles officially drops the puck for an outdoor hockey game. Taking the faceoff are former Ottawa Senators defenceman Chris Phillips and Olympic soccer gold medallist Desiree Scott, who plays for the Ottawa Rapid FC.
The ‘Coronation Girls’
Over 70 years ago, 50 girls from across Canada were in attendance to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation. After being nominated by their high schools, the teenagers were taken on a seven-week tour of the United Kingdom for a life-changing trip.
On Monday, they were on the grounds of Rideau Hall to greet Charles and Camilla.
Also in attendance was Douglas Arrowsmith, a Canadian film director.
Arrowsmith has produced award-winning documentaries for CBC and has directed music videos and feature films for several networks, including HBO Canada. One of his most recent documentaries focuses on the story of the Coronation Girls.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla meet 100-year-old Betty Sinnett during a tree planting ceremony at Rideau Hall as part of a two-day visit to Canada on May 26, 2025. The Weston Girls were 50 young women from across Canada who were sponsored by Canadian businessman Garfield Weston to attend the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in the summer of 1953. It is the King’s 20th and Queen’s fifth tour of Canada.
Prime Minister Mark Carney & Diana Fox Carney
As Charles and Camilla stepped off a Royal Canadian Air Force plane, Prime Minister Mark Carney and his wife, Diana Fox Carney, were there to greet the Royals after their journey from London. This was the first of many photo ops throughout the two-day visit.
King Charles lll meets with Prime Minister Mark Carney and Diana Fox Carney during an official visit to Canada on May 26, 2025 in Ottawa.
From left: Queen Camilla, Gov. Gen. Mary Simon and her husband, Whit Fraser, Prime Minister Mark Carney and his wife, Diana Fox Carney.
King Charles III holds a shovel as he participates with Queen Camilla in a ceremonial tree planting next to Prime Minister Mark Carney at Rideau Hall during an official two-day visit to Canada on May 26, 2025.
King Charles III, middle, and Prime Minister Mark Carney meet former Ottawa Senators hockey player Chris Phillips, left, before the ceremonial puck drop for an outdoor game at Lansdowne Park on Monday.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla speak with Prime Minister Mark Carney during the opening of the first session of the 45th Parliament of Canada at the Senate of Canada in Ottawa on Tuesday.
Governor General Mary Simon
Another frequently spotted dignitary throughout the Royal visit was Gov. Gen. Simon, who serves as the 30th Governor General of Canada and is the first Indigenous person to serve in that role. The governor general typically acts as the monarchy’s representative in Canada when they are not present.
Simon and her partner, Whit Fraser, greeted King Charles and Queen Camilla alongside Prime Minister Carney and his partner, Diana, at the airport, witnessed the ceremonial planting and shared a ride with the King and Queen in the horse-drawn carriage on Tuesday.
Queen Camilla, Gov. Gen. Mary Simon, her husband, Whit Fraser, and Prime Minister Mark Carney at the Senate building in Ottawa on Tuesday.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla were greeted by thousands of fans as they made their way to the Senate of Canada on Tuesday morning, when the King officially opened Parliament. Gov. Gen. Mary Simon and her husband, Whit Fraser, joined the royal couple in the open carriage and were met by Prime Minister Mark Carney and his wife, Diana Fox Carney, before making their way to the National War Memorial to lay wreaths.
Former prime ministers Kim Campbell, Justin Trudeau and Stephen Harper
All spotted seated together in Parliament during the Speech from the Throne were three former Canadian PMs.
Left to right, Kim Campbell, Stephen Harper, Justin Trudeau and Margaret Trudeau listen as King Charles III opens the 45th Parliament of Canada by delivering the speech from the throne on Tuesday.
Kim Campbell, 78, is Canada’s first and only female prime minister. Her term ran from June to November 1993 after winning the Progressive Conservative leadership convention.
Steven Harper, 66, served as the prime minister for nine years and was the Conservative Party of Canada’s first party leader from 2004 until the end of his term. He was seated next to the Trudeaus, conversing ahead of the opening of Parliament.
Justin Trudeau, 53, served as the 23rd Prime Minister of Canada for nearly 10 years and was a member of Parliament for the Quebec riding of Papineau. In January 2025, Trudeau announced he would resign as prime minister and leader of the Liberal Party. He was also spotted wearing bright sneakers.
King Charles III speaks to former prime minister Justin Trudeau in the Senate Chamber for the opening of Parliament on Tuesday.
Margaret Trudeau
Margaret Trudeau is a Canadian activist and is the former partner of the 15th prime minister Pierre Trudeau. She made an appearance alongside her son, Justin Trudeau.
Margaret Trudeau and former prime minister Justin Trudeau, her son, arrive ahead of an appearance by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the Senate Chamber for the opening of Parliament on Tuesday.
Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity
Guilbeault was first elected in 2019 as a Liberal member of Parliament for Laurier-Sainte-Marie, a riding he continues to hold. He previously served as Minister of Environment and Climate Change and as Minister of Canadian Heritage.
Guilbeault greeted King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the airport and was also seen greeting them as they entered into the Horticulture Building at Lansdowne Park and walked around to look at different cultural displays, including one from the Ottawa Catholic School Board.
King Charles III speaks with Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture Steven Guilbeault as he walks to board an aircraft while departing after a two-day visit to Ottawa on Tuesday.
Yasir Navqi, member of Parliament for Ottawa Centre
Navqi has served as a Liberal member of Parliament for Ottawa Centre since 2021 and was recently re-elected in the 2025 federal election. He was seen greeting Charles and Camilla as they exited the Horticulture Building in Lansdowne Park.
Mayor Mark Sutcliffe
Ottawa’s mayor, Mark Sutcliffe, greeted the Royals when they first arrived at Lansdowne Park on Monday afternoon. Sutcliffe was elected mayor in 2022.
Recovering Jean Chrétien misses opening
Notably missing from the opening of Parliament was former PM Jean Chrétien, who, as reported by the National Post, is recovering well from minor heart surgery.
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