Plea to Charles over Scone coronation

A TAYSIDE historian and author has issued a plea to Prince Charles to consider Scone Palace for his potential coronation.

Euan Macpherson, an English lecturer at D&A College, believes the Duke of Rothesay should recognise the royal family’s Scottish forefathers by choosing Perthshire for his crowning.

In his letter to Buckingham Palace, he argues that because Scone pre-dates Westminster as a seat for coronations by more than two centuries, the prince should contemplate reinstating an ancient tradition. He wrote: “I humbly suggest it would be most appropriate and in keeping with your family’s respect for Scottish history and tradition, if the future King Charles III chose to be crowned at Scone.”

Mr Macpherson, who recently published a book about a Jacobite heroine, said: “Scone is an older, more sacred, site than Westminster.

“English monarchs have been crowned at Westminster since 1066 when William the Conqueror was crowned on Christmas Day.

“But kings of Scots were crowned at Scone as far back as AD 843.

“At the very least, we can say Scone pre-dates Westminster as a royal and sacred site by at least 200 years.”

He continued: “The investiture of Prince Charles took place in Caernarfon in Wales in 1969. The principal residence of the monarch, Buckingham Palace, is in England. A coronation at Scone would not only recognise the royal family’s Scottish antecedents, but would also show respect for Scotland’s ancient history and traditions.”