When it was over in 2025, officials toured the dimly lit building in rural Saskatchewan. Tarps covered the windows and doors, blocking the sun. The air was so foul that an officer ran outside gagging. For the previous two years, about 20 members of a group known as the Kingdom of Canada had been living inside the decommissioned school, claiming they had taken over the country. They operated under their own principles, issued their own laws, and threatened the surrounding village with “publicly broadcast executions.”
The Rise of the Queen of Canada
The leader of this movement, Romana Didulo, claimed to be the “Queen of Canada.” Born in the Philippines in 1974, her background remained largely obscure, characterized by a digital footprint that swung between grandiosity and asceticism. By 2020, she began positioning herself as a political figure, creating the “Canada1st Party of Canada” and utilizing social media to broadcast anti-globalist and QAnon-adjacent conspiracy theories. Her message resonated with a segment of the population disillusioned by the pandemic, offering a sense of authority and belonging during a period of intense societal isolation.
As Alex Jones and other figures in the conspiracy ecosystem gained traction, Didulo’s influence grew. She utilized platforms like Telegram to disseminate decrees, claiming she had replaced the late Queen Elizabeth II and that she was an alien from the star Arcturus sent to save humanity. Her followers, who referred to themselves as “We the People,” adopted her rhetoric, distributing cease-and-desist letters to schools and businesses, and eventually forming a “mobile government” that traveled across the country in a fleet of RVs.
The Siege of Richmound
The movement’s most significant real-world escalation occurred in the prairie town of Richmound, Saskatchewan. After being invited onto private property by a local resident, Didulo and her followers occupied an abandoned school. The site became a hub for their activities, featuring a makeshift courtroom and a broadcast center for daily livestreams. The presence of the group, which included individuals prepared to enact violence, created an atmosphere of fear in the small community. Local officials, including Mayor Brad Miller, faced constant threats and intimidation.
The situation reached a breaking point in 2025. Following a series of confrontations and the discovery of potential fire and safety violations, the RCMP executed a search warrant. A SWAT team raided the school, leading to the arrest of Didulo and several of her followers. The raid revealed the squalid conditions in which the group had been living, far removed from the regal image Didulo projected online. While the legal proceedings against Didulo and her associates continue, the legacy of the Kingdom of Canada remains a stark reminder of how digital misinformation can manifest into dangerous, real-world consequences.