SASKATOON — Treaty 6 chiefs met with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace this week in what leaders described as a historic first — an exclusive audience with the monarch and an opportunity to invite him to Saskatchewan for the treaty’s 150th anniversary.
Official images released by Treaty 6 150 organizers show the monarch greeting and shaking hands with a delegation of Treaty 6 chiefs, marking the first time Treaty 6 leadership has had an exclusive audience with the King.
Above, Saskatchewan Indigenous leaders meet with King Charles (Image shared by the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations on Facebook.)
The chiefs have long advocated for such a meeting and used the opportunity to extend an invitation for King Charles III to attend the Treaty 6 150th Commemoration this August at Fort Carlton.
The Saskatchewan delegation of chiefs from several Treaty 6 Nations met with the King on Wednesday at Buckingham Palace after travelling to the United Kingdom earlier in the week.
The historic meeting between the chiefs representing their First Nations communities and the Crown comes ahead of the 150th commemoration of the signing of Treaty 6 on Aug. 23. Leaders say the meeting represents years of effort to secure direct dialogue with the Crown.
The chiefs were planning to invite King Charles III to attend the upcoming treaty commemoration at Fort Carlton this summer. It is not yet known whether the monarch accepted the invitation.
Treaty 6 was signed on Aug. 23, 1876, between the Crown and several First Nations peoples from central Saskatchewan and Alberta.
Lt.-Gov. Alexander Morris, James McKay and William J. Christie represented the Crown, while Indigenous leaders included Chiefs Mistawasis, Ahtahkakoop, and later Poundmaker and Big Bear. The treaty aimed to secure peace, settlement and the sharing of land while ensuring First Nations’ resources.
The Saskatchewan delegation includes Chief Larry Ahenakew of Ahtakakoop Cree Nation, Chief Darryl Watson of Mistawasis Nehiyawak, Chief Edwin Ananas of Beardy’s and Okemasis Cree Nation, and Chief Christine Longjohn of Sturgeon Lake First Nation.
The chiefs said the meeting also gave them the opportunity to remind the monarch that treaty relationships remain central to Canada’s foundation and the long-standing relationship between First Nations communities, governments and the Crown.
Ahenakew said the trip was the result of almost two years of planning and discussion to invite King Charles III to mark the milestone anniversary of the treaty signing. The first letter inviting the King was sent in late 2024, followed by another in early 2025.
Treaty 6 leaders sent additional letters and finally received a response last December confirming that a delegation of chiefs would be invited to visit the palace and meet the monarch.
“This has been a long time coming. The most important reason for going is to invite the King to the 150th commemoration of Treaty 6 this August. We are one nation. We are all treaty people,” said Ahenakew, who added that the meeting still carries weight despite being brief.
Ananas said the audience with the King is significant not only for Treaty 6 communities but for First Nations across Saskatchewan, as the delegation spoke about the enduring nature of treaties and the responsibilities that come with them.
“Our treaty is a binding document. It’s important that the Crown hears directly from us about the importance of those agreements and about the future of our people and our generations to come,” said Ananas.
Longjohn said the meeting carried deep personal and cultural meaning for her community, as Sturgeon Lake’s historic leadership was among the signatories of Treaty 6, creating a direct link between present-day leadership and the original treaty relationship.
