Charles, ang Prince ng Wales, kanyang asawa, Camilla, ang mga dukesa ng Cornwall, are touring Canada this week.

Mula sa Newfoundland at Labrador, they traveled to Ontario; then it’s on to British Columbia, Quebec, at sa wakas sa Ottawa. They’ll return to England on November 12.

Dahil ang Canada ay nananatiling constitutional monarchy, Queen Elizabeth II is technically the Reyna ng Canada, the country’s official Head of State. Bilang tagapagmana British trono, ang Prince ng Wales is in line to become Canada’s official ruler.

If you’re a newcomer to Canada, particularly if you’ve come from the very non-royalist United States, you may be surprised by the degree to which the monarchy is alive and well north of the border. While the Queen’s role is largely symbolic, her portrait graces Canadian pera at selyo, at ang Canadian media covers a royal visit in minute detail.

Pa Canadians have mixed feelings about their royal ties.

Kahit Liberal lider Michael Ignatieff once famously dismissed the relevance of the monarchy with “Enough of this nonsense…,” isang Sun Media poll kinuha sa linggo bago natagpuan ng ito pinakahuling hari o reyna pagbisita na “support for dumping the monarchy stands at 45% nationally, habang support for keeping the Queen as our head of state is slightly lower at 44%.”

Regardless of your views on the monarchy, maaari mong get the complete itinerary for the royal visit here.

Larawan © Carolyn B. Heller