Queen & Country

Historically, it’s fair to say that Scotland hasn’t had an easy relationship with the Royal Family. For years it fought for its independence from England, which was eventually hard won, only to find its own Royal House of Stuart swallowed up by the Union with England and later spat out in favour of, first a Dutch king, and then the Hanoverians, leading to a series of bloody Jacobite risings.

Whether they simply forgot about Scotland or feared it, for 200 years no reigning monarch set foot here until George IV’s carefully orchestrated tour in 1822 that aimed to garner support for the Union.

And though Queen’s Victoria’s clear affection for Scotland went some way to redeem the royals in the eyes of some Scottish people, relations have been strained ever since.

A recent poll ahead of this year’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations by the British Future thinktank found that only 45% of Scottish people are in favour of keeping the monarchy –