An arcane gesture, but maybe not meaningless?

[kathleen_dailey]

Even to those of us who aren't monarchists? These days, all public affirmations of Canada's sovereignty are welcome, no matter how recondite.

King Charles gives his Canadian attendant a sword as sovereignty threats intensify

"Charles, as the constitutional monarch, does not usually comment in public on political issues of the day, but he can send a message through what he does and who he meets with. ... The 51st state talk has already become very tiresome for, I think, every single Canadian. So I'm sure it's equally tiresome for the King as King of Canada."