Royal fans wave as they wait for the arrival of King Charles and Queen Camilla at Lansdowne Park in Ottawa.Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press
It’s rarely by accident that you meet royalty.
For many of the thousands who gathered to catch a glimpse of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in Canada, the journey to Ottawa’s Lansdowne Park on Monday required strategy, precise planning and oftentimes hours of travel – by car, by train and by plane. And even among this very enthusiastic group was a smaller group most devoted of all: Those who were in the very front row.
For those most diehard monarchists, preparing for a royal visit took weeks, months, even years.
On an oppressively sunny Monday morning, hours ahead of when the King and Queen were expected at Lansdowne Park, Jenna Kocik was already in place right up against the fence that would eventually separate the royal couple from members of the public.
“I’m an enthusiastic royalist, to say the least,” said the 36-year-old nurse. “It’s something that I’m passionate about. I love the culture, and the history.”
Her planning for this day had begun several weeks ago, as soon as Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the royal visit. Ms. Kocik, who lives and works in Edmonton, began planning her trip.
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Every detail was carefully thought through: From poring over the itinerary to figure out which events would offer the best access to the royal couple, to arriving at this event five hours early (at about 9 a.m. for a 2 p.m. event).
Every detail of her outfit, too, was meticulously planned: A beige polka-dot dress, “because the royals love polka dots.” Pearl earrings. A grey leather purse from the British label Charlotte Elizabeth – the same bag Camilla owns. “I hope she wears it today,” she said.
She even made arrangements for her own support system. She brought along her friend Danielle Plaschy, who was holding an umbrella to shield them from the sun.
Ms. Plaschy, who made clear that she was not a fan of the monarchs – that she was there strictly for moral support – looked far less amused.
“I’m not disgruntled,” Ms. Plaschy said, despite looking extremely disgruntled. “I’m just really hot, and we’ve been here for three hours,” she said. “I need food. And I need water.”
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Next to them in the front row was 14-year-old Konstantinos Karafotias. He and his family had flown in from Vancouver for this. He hadn’t moved from his spot next to the fence since arriving three hours ago, he said.
“I went to the bathroom before I came.”
And on the other side of the gate, Jane Kroll said she’s been waiting for this visit since the King’s coronation, in 2023. For that event, she set her alarm for the middle of the night, and watched live from home, where she hosted a tea party for herself and her French bulldog, Melody. She’d served scones with clotted cream and cucumber sandwiches.
For Monday’s visit with the King, she wore a red Canada T-shirt and carried a Union Jack. “I wanted to come and show that they were relevant and loved,” she said.
Many of those gathered on Monday referenced the historical significance of the visit: U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats against Canada, King Charles’s show of support and reassurance in the face of those threats and the King’s own recent health troubles. The King announced last year that he is undergoing treatment for cancer.
“I appreciate King Charles for coming, for showing solidarity,” said Deborah St. Jean, who brought along her daughter and two grandsons. “Especially because he’s dealing with his own battles.”
Still, not everybody attended specifically to show support. There were a handful of protesters, who held up signs saying “Not my King.”
And a few others, like Jim and Kathy Boone, said they were mostly there out of curiosity.
“I know that colonialism doesn’t sit well with a lot of people, and I think that’s understandable,” Mr. Boone said.
Still, he added, he feels generally positive about the monarchy. “That’s not who they are today.”
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The arrival of the royal couple was signalled by a small cheer. Moments later – as a wave of recognition made its way through the crowd – a much larger cheer.
And then there they were. King Charles and Queen Camilla entered the square, followed by Mr. Carney and Diana Fox Carney. One woman shouted, “We love you!” A few others began to chant “long live the King.”
Among the first groups for the royal couple to approach at the gate were Ms. Kocik and Ms. Plaschy. They stopped and spoke with the women for several moments, and then moved along.
The encounter left Ms. Kocik in an astonished silence.
“The King. Queen. Carney,” she said, finally. “I was shaking. I was star-struck.”
Ms. Plaschy’s expression, meanwhile, made clear that she had come around. She said she couldn’t help but feel excited – swept along with the moment.
She was scrolling through the photos she’d taken, and grinning. “It was a lot of stress – wanting to capture the perfect picture,” she said.
“But it was a riveting moment, for sure.”