Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said he has spoken to the Queen about “the state of the world”.

The monarch, who is also Queen of Canada, held a telephone conversation with Mr Trudeau on Monday.

Mr Trudeau tweeted: “I spoke on the phone with Queen Elizabeth II today. We talked about the state of the world, Covid-19, and more.”

He added: “I also thanked her for the hopeful messages she has sent during these difficult times, and I wished her the very best this Victoria Day.”

Victoria Day – May 18 – is the Queen’s official birthday in Canada.

Mr Trudeau told the monarch that the messages she sent to the people of Canada during the coronavirus pandemic had brought hope and encouragement during difficult times.

The Queen has a strong bond with Canada.

She is monarch of the Commonwealth realm and it has been her most frequent overseas destination.

She has visited more than 20 times, including a trip as a princess, but, now 94, a number of years ago she called time on her official overseas visits.

As a young child in the 1970s, Mr Trudeau met the Queen several times through his father, Pierre Trudeau, who was one of Canada’s longest-serving prime ministers.