Charles will automatically become Canada's head of state without changing the Constitution, following the tradition of British monarchs since the country's inception. Despite Queen Elizabeth II being highly respected by Canadians, polls indicate a decreasing number of Canadians are willing to pledge allegiance to another British monarch, particularly Charles, who is unpopular and represents an institution viewed as increasingly irrelevant. It is uncertain what Canadians may do to prevent Charles from ruling as King Charles III. Philippe Lagassé, an associate professor at Carleton University and an expert on the monarchy's role in Canada, noted that both sides in Canada are currently in a state of ceasefire. The monarchists maintain the official legal status, enjoy royal tours and symbolic gestures, while the Republicans argue that the monarchy does not play a significant role in Canadian life. Charles and Camilla's upcoming visit, which includes events with Indigenous communities in Newfoundland and the Northwest Territories, has a focus on reconciliation. In addition to these Indigenous-themed events, the royal couple will also be in Ottawa and participate in climate-related discussions and visits to discuss the impact of climate change in the northern regions. One of the main mysteries surrounding the upcoming visit is whether the traditional practice of handshaking during Royal Tours will be replaced with a safer form of greeting due to COVID-19. A recent poll conducted by the Angus Reid Institute showed that a majority of Canadians, 55%, considered the monarchy to be irrelevant, with an additional 24% saying it was becoming less relevant. Furthermore, 67% of Canadians surveyed expressed opposition to the idea of Charles succeeding his mother. Despite receiving a warm welcome during previous visits to Canada with his first wife Diana, public interest in Charles quickly waned following their separation in 1992. His condescending attitude is not well-received in a country that values equality. The connection between Charles’ brother Andrew and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who committed suicide in a Manhattan jail, has further diminished support for the monarchy among Canadians. Their reputation suffered even more after Meghan Markle, Charles’ daughter-in-law who resided in Toronto and British Columbia, revealed in an interview that she experienced racially insensitive remarks from members of the royal family. Despite this, Charles and Camilla are expected to attract large crowds, especially in St John’s, Newfoundland, where their visit will be a major topic of conversation. Geography also influences public perception of the royals, with the monarchy historically lacking significant support in predominantly French-speaking Quebec, the second-most populous province in Canada. Canada's changing demographics have helped to spread anti-monarchy sentiment in other countries. Many immigrants in Canada come from places like China, which has no ties to the British monarchy, or from countries like India where the crown is seen as a symbol of oppression. Shachi Kurl, president of Angus Reid, suggested that Canadians may eventually question the presence of the monarchy, especially after the queen's passing. Despite this, there is still some support for the monarchy, largely due to respect for the queen. She explained that the lack of drive to make a change is largely due to a strong fondness for the queen. Barbados recently removed the queen as its head of state and transitioned to a republic, with Prince Charles and Rihanna present at the ceremony. Six other Caribbean countries are considering similar moves. Visits to the Caribbean by Prince Edward and Prince William this year were met with protests against the monarchy and Britain's involvement in slavery, leading to the cancellation of some scheduled stops. Instead of being concerned about potential protests, the organizers of Charles' visit to Canada have focused on ensuring he has an audience. Beyond a ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, there are limited opportunities for large crowds to gather in major cities. Instead, he will be visiting Quidi Vidi, a neighborhood and fishing village in St John's, a city with a population of 114,000 people, where any visit by an international celebrity is sure to be a significant event. Lagassé and Kurl point out that the process to amend Canada's Constitution to remove the British monarch as head of state is very challenging, requiring unanimous consent from the federal government and all 10 provinces in order to replace the monarch with a Canadian head of state. In a country where regionalism drives politics, obtaining consent for constitutional change may be extremely difficult. According to Kurl, most politicians view any discussion of constitutional change as toxic to their careers and would rather avoid the topic altogether. Lagassé suggested one possible solution could be to gradually reduce the monarch's role in Canada, as her powers have been largely symbolic since 1947 and have been delegated to the governor-general. Lagassé also mentioned that there are various actions the Canadian government can take without needing to pass new laws or amend the constitution. The queen used to be featured on all Canadian bank notes, but there are no legal obstacles to removing her from the last one, the 20 dollar bill, or replacing her image on coins. It is not required by law for the monarch's portrait to be displayed in government offices or for royal tours to be mandated. According to Lagassé, there are many aspects of monarchical symbolism that can be changed, but the overall attitude in Canada is that the monarchy is still intact. Do not confront the issue, but also do not give it more attention than necessary. © 2022 The New York Times Company.