PATRICK Harvie has said his party considered boycotting the Holyrood session in which parliamentarians were invited to pay tribute to Prince Philip.

The Scottish Greens co-leader said it would be “wrong to give a performance of feelings not sincerely felt”, but stated his party did not want to show the Duke of Edinburgh any “personal disrespect”.

The Glasgow MSP, who noted the prince’s “extreme wealth, privilege and status”, offered his sincere condolences to his family, friends and “all those who will miss him”.

Holyrood was recalled for just the sixth time in its history to mark Philip's death.

READ MORE: Scottish Parliament recalled to mark the death of Prince Philip

Other Holyrood leaders were effusive in their praise for the duke as they paid tribute.

Harvie, whose party backs the abolition of the monarchy, came under fire after giving a more nuanced statement.

He said: “In this chamber, as in this country, we do not all share the same views of the monarchy, or the same feelings today. It would be wrong to pretend that we did.

“And as a party which wishes for an elected head of state, we reflected carefully on whether and how we should take part in today’s proceedings.

“But just as it would be wrong to give a performance of feelings not sincerely felt, it would equally be wrong to imply by our absence any kind of personal disrespect to those who have lost someone important to them, whether personally or otherwise.

“And this has been a year of terrible loss for the world, including up to 150,000 Covid deaths across the UK, most of them announced without ceremony as daily statistics.

“The toll has been heaviest on those with least. But while there is no great leveller in how we live our lives, we are today reminded there is no extreme of wealth, privilege or status that can protect us from mortality.”

He went on: “Jock Tamson’s bairns may be something of a cliche, but in this respect every human being is indeed equal. Death comes to us all, and every family faces the pain of loss.

“So regardless of our different views, respect and compassion are due in equal measure to every one of us at such times.

“Such moments bring pain to family and friends, and for a public figure like Prince Philip, others will share that pain to a greater or lesser degree."

The Greens co-leader also raised questions about Philip's environmental legacy.

He continued: “But for an individual, a family or a society, death is also part of life’s cycle, bringing a change of the generations.

“Those who come after will build on the legacy of what they have been left, but will also rethink, reinvent and later course.

“They still owe much to those who went before, who may have lived by different values.

“Many have spoken about Prince Philip’s environmentalism. Today’s environmental movement overwhelmingly places responsibility for the global crisis on the powerful, and would not seek to reconcile conservation with the bloodsport of the wealthy.

"Yet it is still the case that a debt is owed to those whose environmentalism did achieve global awareness, even if it was shaped by different values to today’s.

READ MORE: Westminster recalled early for MPs to give eight-hour tribute to Prince Philip

“It’s said that Prince Philip wished to modernise the monarchy, and no doubt in time it will again consider if it can do so.

“How a royal family can keep pace with the modern, democratic society it is supposed to serve, and how it must show respect for the diversity of that society in its words and its deeds.

“Others will question whether it can, whether it should retain its place or not. That debate is not for today.

"Today is a moment to extend our thoughts to Prince Philip’s family, and to all those who are grieving for their loves ones in a spirit for the equal value of every human life."

Mike Elrick, a former adviser to the late Labour leader John Smith, branded Harvie's statement “utterly pathetic”.

Meanwhile, Nicola Sturgeon described Philip as being a "thoughtful man, deeply interesting and fiercely intelligent".

She added that he was "also a serious bookworm", saying that discussions with him about books were "often for me a real highlight of our conversations".

Political parties in Scotland suspended campaigning after his death and MSPs stood for a minute's silence before party leaders paid their own tributes to him.

Scottish Conservative Holyrood leader, Ruth Davidson, praised the duke for a "life of remarkable public service", saying: "Anyone who in their life fought in World War Two; set up an organisation to help young people build resilience and change the course of their lives for the better; who helped found the world's largest conservation charity to save endangered species; and who gave of his time to help 800 individual charities and who was still working well into his 90s, deserves to have that life recognised."

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said he had never met Philip, whom he described as being "an extraordinary public servant, who dedicated his long life to our country".

He praised him for "transforming lives for young people across the world, and promoting the issue of global conservation that we all now recognise is so important".

Scottish LibDem leader Willie Rennie said he did not agree with the characterisation of some that the Duke of Edinburgh was an "offensive man", adding: "For so many, he has been part of a family that has provided comfort and stability in what can be a turbulent and intimidating world."