05 October, 2026 – Chandigarh : Edmonton Sikh lawyer Prabjot Singh Wirring refused to swear allegiance to the King, saying his faith required an exclusive oath to Akal Purakh. His legal challenge has become a landmark test of religious freedom in Canada.
Prabjot Singh Wirring, an Amritdhari Sikh lawyer from Edmonton, was faced with a choice that put his faith and legal career on opposite sides: swear an oath of “true allegiance” to the monarch or give up his career as a lawyer.
Wirring refused.
As an Amritdhari Sikh, Wirring had already taken a lifelong and absolute oath to Akal Purakh, the divine being in Sikhism. His faith, he argued, does not permit him to pledge a similar allegiance to a worldly sovereign or any other entity.
The requirement that Alberta lawyers swear allegiance to the monarch became the centre of a constitutional battle that has now reached Canada’s highest court.
How Prabjot Singh Wirring’s legal battle began
Wirring filed a lawsuit in June 2022 against the Alberta Government and the Law Society of Alberta, arguing that the mandatory oath to the Queen, and subsequently the King, violated his constitutional right to freedom of religion.
His challenge was initially unsuccessful.
In October 2023, the Court of King’s Bench dismissed his claim, finding that the oath was symbolic and did not amount to a direct infringement of his religious freedom.
Wirring appealed the decision.
On December 16, 2025, the Court of Appeal of Alberta unanimously ruled in his favour. A three-judge panel found that forcing lawyers to swear allegiance to the monarch unjustifiably infringed on religious freedom and was unconstitutional.
The court ordered that the provincial legislation be amended or repealed to accommodate religious exemptions.
Why the case matters to Sikh lawyers
The ruling means Alberta joins provinces such as British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Ontario, which have either introduced alternative options to a monarchist oath or removed the royal allegiance requirement for lawyers.
For Wirring, the case is not simply about the wording of an oath. It raises a broader question about whether professionals should be forced to choose between their religious convictions and their careers.
Alberta government takes case to Supreme Court of Canada
The Alberta provincial government filed an appeal in February 2026, seeking to take the constitutional challenge to Canada’s highest court.
In August 2026, the Supreme Court of Canada agreed to hear the case.
The final ruling is expected to determine whether Alberta can constitutionally require lawyers to swear allegiance to the monarch, and what accommodation, if any, must be provided to lawyers whose religious beliefs prevent them from taking such an oath.
For Wirring, the legal fight that began in 2022 has grown into a significant test of religious freedom, professional access and the role of the Crown in Canada’s legal system.
The Tribune