Fit for a king? Ex-Prime Minister Trudeau wears sneakers to see King Charles' throne speech

If diplomacy is theater, Justin Trudeau walked onstage successful costume to greet royalty.

The erstwhile Canadian premier curate made a head-turning entranceway astatine Tuesday’s regal proceedings successful Ottawa, attending King Charles III’s historical Speech from the Throne, not successful the expected leather brogues oregon polished Oxfords but alternatively successful a brace of turquoise and orangish Adidas Gazelles. 

This presumption shows erstwhile Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Adidas shoes arsenic helium arrives up of an quality by King Charles III connected May 27, 2025. (Chris Jackson - Pool/Getty Images)

While Trudeau made headlines for his prime of footwear, King Charles III and Queen Camilla were successful Canada for a important two-day visit, his archetypal since becoming monarch successful 2022. 

The king, 76, is presently undergoing crab attraction and has kept a constricted schedule, but the determination to question to Ottawa was wide seen arsenic a symbolic motion of enactment for Canada during a clip of tension.

The sojourn follows repeated comments by President Donald Trump suggesting that Canada could go the 51st authorities of the United States, remarks that were publically rejected by Canadian leaders. 

King Charles III and Queen Camilla question goodbye astatine the extremity of an authoritative sojourn to Canada connected May 27, 2025 successful Ottawa, Ontario. (Ian Vogler - Pool/Getty Images)

During his code successful the Senate chamber, King Charles emphasized Canada’s independency and resilience. "The existent northbound is so beardown and free," helium said.

Charles, who besides held backstage meetings with Carney and Governor General Mary Simon, serves arsenic Canada’s caput of state, arsenic helium does for 14 different commonwealth realms. The sojourn comes astatine a clip erstwhile U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is pursuing person ties with the Trump medication connected commercialized and planetary issues, including Ukraine.

While the ceremonial aspects of the sojourn drew attention, the lawsuit reinforced Canada’s existent presumption connected the satellite signifier and the relation of the monarchy successful reinforcing that status.

This presumption shows erstwhile Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Adidas shoes arsenic helium arrives up of an quality by King Charles III connected May 27, 2025. (Chris Jackson - Pool/Getty Images)

Fashion-wise, Trudeau’s sneakers were astatine slightest en vogue, literally. British Vogue precocious dubbed the Adidas Gazelle a perennial manner staple, noting its '70s-inspired silhouette and quiet-cool profile. 

In an April 2024 nonfiction titled "Why Our Obsession With Adidas Gazelles Shows No Sign of Fading," Joy Montgomery called the footwear a "fashion trainer" with timeless appeal, but that doesn’t needfully construe to royal protocol.

One onlooker quipped, "Justin Trudeau’s shoes, today, astatine Parliament! Also successful Parliament contiguous – King Charles," tweeted @margareta_matis. 

Emily Ferguson chimed successful with a glancing blow: "Retirement runners perhaps..?" 

As if the connection was unclear, Dimitris Soudas, erstwhile communications main to Stephen Harper, delivered his verdict with silence: "I don’t cognize what to say."
 

In a country filled with governors general, premiers, Indigenous leaders, and subject honors, Trudeau's Adidas suede besides made its beingness known.

King Charles opened the code with a onshore acknowledgment and moved swiftly to stress Canada’s "unique identity" and "enduring sovereignty," subtle echoes of Prime Minister Carney’s caller connection to Trump. 

Charles’s address, written mostly by the Canadian authorities but peppered with his ain flourishes, pointed to ambitious economical goals.

"Every clip I travel to Canada … a small much of Canada seeps into my bloodstream, and from determination consecutive to my heart," helium said.