The British Crown, we are told, holds Scotland dear in its heart. From the rolling hills of Balmoral to the beauty of the Castle of Mey, the House of Windsor has many favourite haunts in Scotland. Seeing that they own a fair chunk of the land, you would hope that they were getting some kind of satisfaction. 

From the late Queen being half-Scottish to the Prince of Wales’ time at St Andrews University, there are plenty of reminders of the unique relationship that the royal family and the institution they serve have with Scots and Scotland. Their warmth towards Scotland has been emphasised throughout the early reign of King Charles III. The late Queen’s death at Balmoral and lying in state at St. Giles only heightened the effect.

We are often treated to assertions that Scotland holds the Monarchy dear in its heart also, as if the sizeable republican plurality in this country is a figment of the Daily Express’s worst nightmares.

Scotland will be invited to participate in the coronation of the King and Queen with a celebratory day this Royal Week. On Wednesday 5th July, the King will be presented with the Honours of Scotland at a National Service of Thanksgiving at St Giles’ Cathedral. Numerous civic representatives and Scottish military units will take part, accompanied by the Honours of Scotland, in a ‘People’s Procession’ down the Royal Mile. A 21-gun salute will also be fired from Edinburgh castle.

The King cannot be crowned twice. Such a move, even if desired by the Crown and the Scottish Government, would be ill-received by the Church of England. But it is clear that this pomp and ceremony is designed to stand in as a ‘Caledonian Coronation’.

Doubtless, many in Scotland will find it enjoyable item on the six o’clock news. Some may even make the trip to Edinburgh to witness it in person. But we should not let our good nature enable the monarchy to present itself as universally adored across this country.

Just as we did atop Calton Hill on the day of the coronation, Our Republic will be protesting the British Monarchy during the events this week. At 1pm outside the Scottish Parliament on the 5th of July, we will be speaking for the plurality of Scottish republicans who didn’t ask for this and who don’t want the absurdity of an unelected aristocrat being celebrated by a ‘people’s procession’ down the road that leads to the heart of Scottish democracy. 

Scottish republicans who oppose this institution speak for significant numbers of Scots who favour democracy instead of an outdated and anachronistic institution based on hereditary privilege. The airwaves will be thick with claims of the universal adoration the monarchy has from Scots. Our Republic will be protesting to make it impossible to ignore those who do not share that adoration. AT ‘Charles Windsor vs Edinburgh’, we will be proclaiming that we need no king, and neither do we want him.

Details of the protest can be found on Facebook