King Charles III’s brief visit to Canada in May 2025 carried a taxpayer price tag of at least $2.6 million, according to figures obtained through access-to-information requests and government disclosures.
The royal trip, which included King Charles III and Queen Camilla visiting Ottawa on May 26 and 27, 2025, lasted roughly 24 hours. During the visit, the King delivered the Speech from the Throne in Parliament in what many viewed as a symbolic show of support for Canadian sovereignty.
The total reported cost reached $2,636,484.92 — equal to about $109,853 per hour or $1,830 per minute during the visit.
The largest portion of spending came from the Department of National Defence, which spent more than $1.28 million. That included nearly $869,000 for a ceremonial military flyover, more than $330,000 for transportation such as flights aboard a Canadian Airbus CC-330 Husky aircraft, over $70,000 for meals and snacks, and hotel costs in both the U.K. and Ottawa.
The Canadian Heritage spent $442,670 organizing ceremonies and logistics. Expenses included flights, hotel rooms, transportation, event materials, tablecloths, hockey jerseys, and reimbursements to the City of Ottawa for road closures and emergency services.
Security costs were also substantial. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police spent more than $253,000, while Public Safety Canada covered over $604,000 tied to police support, crowd control, road closures and motorcade coordination.
Additional costs included a $50,000 donation from the Privy Council Office to The King’s Trust Canada and nearly $1,900 from Health Canada for a dedicated ambulance.
The true cost may be higher, as the published figures do not include regular staff salaries or any expenses paid by British taxpayers.
Supporters of the monarchy argue the expense is modest compared with the value of Canada’s constitutional system. The Monarchist League of Canada says the monarchy cost about $64.6 million nationally in 2022–23, or roughly $1.61 per Canadian annually.
Critics, however, say the spending is difficult to justify. Xavier Barsalou-Duval called the visit expensive and unnecessary, renewing debate over Canada’s ties to the Crown.
The visit has once again highlighted a long-running Canadian question: whether the monarchy remains a valuable national institution or an outdated cost to taxpayers.