May 27 (UPI) -- Britain's King Charles III delivered a rare speech Tuesday to the Canadian parliament during his two-day visit as head of state.

"The True North is indeed strong and free," the king said in his remarks in reference to the Canadian national anthem and jokes by U.S. President Donald Trump to annex Canada as the 51st U.S. state.

"Today, Canada faces another critical moment," he continued. "Democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, self-determination, and freedom are values which Canadians hold dear, and ones which the Government is determined to protect."

The king, 76, visited Canada for a two-day visit with his wife, Queen Camilla, amid strained diplomatic relations between the United States and Canada. They departed Tuesday afternoon.

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