IN his article about the rosary belonging to Queen Mary I, Hamish MacPherson refers to her as “Scotland’s only Queen Regnant” but this is not so (Rosary theft a national loss for Scotland, May 25). As an independent country we had four Queens Regnant. Our first was Queen Margaret, know as the Maid of Norway, who succeeded her grandfather King Alexander III in 1286. Then Mary I, Mary II and lastly Anne, who was the last monarch of an independent Scotland.
Regarding royalty, there have been a few comments about the Windsors not being impartial about Scottish independence, and some suggesting that, for this reason, we should become a republic. Don’t judge all royalty by the House of Windsor. Scotland is the oldest monarchy in Europe and I see no reason to change that.
READ MORE: Theft of Mary, Queen of Scots' rosary beads means a priceless national loss
Personally, I would like us to have our own royal family with a down-to-earth, approachable, slimlined monarchy like some of our European neighbours have. Those of us in favour of independence often look to Norway as an example of how we could do things. On the dissolution of the union with Sweden, Norway chose to have a king of their own rather than continue to share one with Sweden or become a republic, and they offered the throne to a Danish Prince. My own choice would be to see the Stuarts restored, thus having a link back to our early monarchs.
Monarchs tend to be able to unite a people in a way that politicians can’t, and after independence we will need unity to ensure that it works.
John Blyth
Edinburgh
“SCOTLAND”, said a visiting Prince William, “is incredibly important to me,” as Kevin McKenna reports (Royal family uses Scotland as its own personal Tartan Disneyland, May 25).
I was reminded of the English celebrity love-bombers of the 2014 Scottish independence referendum who disguised their concern for England as a love of Scotland; and as McKenna indicates, there seems to be a reek here of partisanism in the independence debate.
READ MORE: Kevin McKenna: Scotland is just a personal Tartan Disneyland to the royal family
William’s language also resembles that of the visiting diplomat; that is, it evidences the royal detachment from Scotland. After all, people would think it deeply odd were William to return home to make a public statement about how “incredibly important” England is to him.
But with Scotland still fresh in his mind, now might be a good time for him to state publicly that the issue of independence is a matter for the Scottish people and one in which the monarchy will take no part.
Professor Aonghus MacKechnie
Edinburgh
THE Sunday Times reported that to get into Buckingham Palace it now costs £60 per person. Even though the Queen does not own it; we the people own it.
The next scam is to produce a bottle of gin called Ballochbuie to help pay for the upkeep of Balmoral Castle at the over-priced sum of £60. Ah, the poor wee souls they need all the money the can get.
Gin to me is overpriced already but £60 is far too much, I wonder how much the wee tour of Scotland cost us and the opening of the new hospital in Orkney, which has been treating patients for three years.
Alistair MacCalman
Muir Of Ord
DEAR Prince William,
I would like to reassure you that when Scotland is independent you can still find a place in your heart for our country. You can still have your annual holiday here, though you may have to downsize your holiday home a wee bit. You could actually uproot your family and stay here as many of your compatriots have done. You would, of course, have to pay your way like the rest (or the majority) of us. Council tax and all that!
And just to put your mind at rest, your children would still be able to attend our universities, again as many young people do from all over the world. They will be able to travel all across Europe as we will be part of the EU again. I don’t know if you are a member of any church but I imagine that you are a member of the Church of England, so you could join the Church of Scotland since you have such a close connection. Can you be a member of both? We welcome all religions.
We are at present here in Scotland, as you well know, a very open and welcoming country and when we are an independent nation once again we will be even more so, having stopped dawn raids and all that entails.
Maggie Forrest
via email
AFTER reading the story “George Square Clean-up cost £60,000” I thought I had picked up the Daily Telegraph by mistake. “Priceless statues of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert require substantial repairs,” a phrase twice repeated a few paragraphs later, but with the added information that restoration “will cost tens of thousands of pounds”.
READ MORE: Glasgow Council reveals cost of Rangers rampage in George Square
Why on earth should we be re-erecting these statues, never mind wasting thousands of pounds which could be spent on more useful and worthy causes? What on earth have these two ever done Glasgow or for Scotland? They were living in luxury (as do their present day relatives – see Kevin McKenna’s article in the same issue) while thousands of Glaswegians were living in hovels and in abject poverty. If the statues are “priceless”, I take that to mean worth a bob or two. If this is the case, sell them and use the money for something useful.
Andrew Sanders
Glasgow
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel