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King Charles Meets First Nation Leaders in Historic Palace Audience
11 Mar
Summary
- First Nation leaders from Saskatchewan met King Charles at Buckingham Palace.
- Leaders formally invited the monarch to the 150th anniversary of Treaty 6.
- 105-year-old WWII pilot Colin Bell received a Distinguished Flying Cross.
King Charles recently hosted a historic private meeting at Buckingham Palace with seven First Nation leaders from Saskatchewan. The delegation traveled to London to extend a formal invitation to the monarch for the 150th anniversary of Treaty 6, scheduled to take place in Fort Carlton, Canada. The leaders expressed their hope that King Charles would attend the August commemoration.
During their audience, the First Nation leaders presented King Charles with personalized beaded moccasins, symbolizing their well wishes for future generations. Chief Larry Ahenakew had previously written to the King in November 2024 and February 2025, eventually receiving a response in December, highlighting the long-term effort for this significant meeting.
In a separate ceremony, King Charles welcomed Flight Lieutenant Colin Bell, a 105-year-old Second World War veteran. Mr. Bell, the last surviving pilot of the de Havilland Mosquito bomber, received a Distinguished Flying Cross. This honor was originally awarded to him by King George VI in 1945 for acts of courage during active operations against the enemy.
Flight Lieutenant Bell, who flew over 50 raids during the war, shared his experiences, including the dangers of flying the largely wood-constructed 'wooden wonder' aircraft. He also presented His Majesty with a copy of his memoir, 'Bloody Dangerous,' detailing his wartime service and reflecting on the controversial bombing campaigns of World War II.
