On a September afternoon in 2022, hours after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, a Zoom citizenship ceremony in Canada seemed to pause between an old sovereign and a new one. A reporter watching from beside his friend described a room of newcomers asked to pledge themselves to a king who had only just come to the throne. The tale spread quickly, carried on the strength of one witness's words, while the official record still spoke in the old queen's name. It is a small moment that shows how a nation's oldest rituals can wait, for a few moments, on a single voice.
New Canadians Reportedly Swore Citizenship Oaths to King Charles III Hours After Queen's Death
The Queen is dead, long live the King.
Mark
Why does a single ceremony on Zoom matter enough to be a story?
Mimi
Because the oath is the legal moment of becoming a citizen, and it names the monarch. That afternoon the person named had changed, and 141 people on that call were the ones saying it.
Luke
Careful, though. All of this comes from Roberto Rocha's tweets about one ceremony. It's a firsthand account, but it's one account.
Mark
What was the delay he described?
Mimi
He wrote that his friend was meant to swear to the Queen and that officials seemed to be working out what to do. That's his guess about the reason, not a stated fact.
Luke
Right. Nobody has said what was discussed during the delay, and the reporting doesn't tell us.
Mark
And the name Charles chose?
Mimi
It was unknown for a while. People speculated about George VII, Philip or Arthur, but he became Charles III, and Truss used that name in Parliament.
Luke
Notice the government website still carried the Queen's oath that afternoon. That doesn't disprove the ceremony, but it means nothing official backs it up yet.
Mark
Did the government respond?
Mimi
Not by press time. The Post asked IRCC to confirm the switch and explain how ceremonies across the country were told.
Luke
So whether this happened in other ceremonies is unknown. We have one Zoom call and a viral thread.
Le Pouls
- A Zoom citizenship ceremony stalled in the early afternoon as officials worked out what oath to read after the Queen's death.
- A reporter's viral tweets described new Canadians swearing allegiance to 'King Charles III, King of Canada' on the day the monarchy changed hands.
- The claim rests on one witness's account, while the government's published oath still names Queen Elizabeth II.
- The National Post has asked Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to confirm the change and explain how it reached ceremony officials nationwide, and no reply had come by press time.
On a September afternoon in 2022, hours after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, a Zoom citizenship ceremony in Canada seemed to pause between an old sovereign and a new one. A reporter watching from beside his friend described a room of newcomers asked to pledge themselves to a king who had only just come to the throne. The tale spread quickly, carried on the strength of one witness's words, while the official record still spoke in the old queen's name. It is a small moment that shows how a nation's oldest rituals can wait, for a few moments, on a single voice.
Shortly before 2 p.m. on Thursday, September 8, 2022, Roberto Rocha, a reporter with the Investigative Journalism Foundation, sat beside a friend about to become a Canadian citizen. The Zoom ceremony had stalled, and Rocha tweeted that his friend had been expected to swear allegiance to the Queen and that officials seemed to be deciding what to do.
Queen Elizabeth II had died that day after reigning for 70 years. Citizenship ceremonies across Canada involve an oath to the monarch, and according to Rocha's thread, which went viral, those taking it that afternoon became the first new Canadians in seven decades to swear to a new sovereign. Charles's regnal name was uncertain for a time; he chose King Charles III.
Rocha said 141 people joined the call, cut up their permanent residency cards on camera, and watched a short video of Canadian scenery. The judge acknowledged the Queen's death in a quick, sober way, he said, and announced King Charles III as King of Canada. The new citizens then swore allegiance to him, and the ceremony closed with "The Queen is dead, long live the King." Rocha's verdict: "That's wild."
The account has not been officially confirmed. As of Thursday afternoon, the oath on the Government of Canada's website still named Queen Elizabeth II. The National Post asked IRCC whether the wording changed everywhere and how officials were informed, but had no response by press time. What comes next is that confirmation, and when the published oath is updated.
Shortly before 2 p.m. on Thursday, September 8, 2022, Roberto Rocha, a reporter with the Investigative Journalism Foundation, was sitting beside a friend who was about to become a Canadian citizen. The ceremony was being held over Zoom, and it had stalled. Rocha tweeted that there was a long delay, that his friend had been expected to swear allegiance to the Queen, and that he guessed officials were trying to work out what to do now.
Queen Elizabeth II, who reigned for 70 years, had died that day. Citizenship ceremonies were under way across Canada, and each of them involves swearing allegiance to the monarch. According to Rocha's thread, which went viral, the people taking the oath that afternoon became the first new Canadians in seven decades to swear it to a new sovereign.
One question hung over the delay: what name would Charles take as king? His accession as the next monarch under the rules of succession was never in doubt, but his regnal name was unknown for a time on Thursday. There was speculation he might choose King George VII, after his grandfather, or King Philip or King Arthur, two of his other given names, the BBC reported. He chose King Charles III, and Liz Truss, the new U.K. prime minister, used that name in her address to Parliament.
Rocha reported that 141 people were on the Zoom call. Officials spoke with each participant and watched them cut up their permanent residency cards on camera. When the ceremony began, a video played with what Rocha described as Canadiana: maple trees, Mounties, hockey and Niagara Falls.
Then the judge spoke. According to Rocha, the Queen's death was acknowledged and it was announced that King Charles III is the King of Canada. Rocha called the acknowledgment quick and sober, "extremely Canadian," and said the judge seemed more eager to welcome the new citizens into the Canadian family.
The new citizens then swore allegiance, in Rocha's telling, to "His Majesty King Charles III, King of Canada." The ceremony ended with the words "The Queen is dead, long live the King." Rocha's verdict on that: "That's wild."
The account rests on one person's tweets about one ceremony, and it has not been confirmed officially. As of Thursday afternoon, the oath published on the Government of Canada's website, in a publication about the citizenship process with a photo of Queen Elizabeth II, still read that the person would be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second. The National Post asked Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to confirm the change in oaths and to explain how it was communicated to those running ceremonies nationwide. The government had not responded by press time.
What to watch next is that confirmation: whether the department says the wording changed everywhere, how officials were told, and when the published oath is updated.
Citations marquantes
There is a long delay. He was supposed to swear his allegiance to the Queen. I'm guessing they're trying to sort out what to do now.— Roberto Rocha, Investigative Journalism Foundation reporter, on Twitter
It was a quick and sober acknowledgment, extremely Canadian.— Roberto Rocha, describing the judge's remarks
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