Heir to British throne once campaigned for Scottish nationalism

As heir to the throne, he is forbidden from interfering in the world of party politics. Yet it has been revealed that Prince Charles once campaigned for Scottish nationalism.

The Duke of Rothesay’s surprising support for the Nationalists has emerged in a new book, which tells how he campaigned for the SNP in a mock election while a pupil at Gordonstoun School in Moray.

The teenage prince even went round the grounds shouting “freedom for the Scots” and “down with rule from Whitehall”.

Royal author In g r i d Seward was told about the incident by her late husband Ross Benson, who was a classmate of Charles.

She said: “No r m a l l y Charles had middle-of-theroad views and was never extreme about anything.

“He prepared his speeches diligently but there was none of the quick flashes of inspired thought or sudden witty comments for which his father is famous.

“But one of the rare occasions when Charles blossomed occurred during the mock elections.

“Charles became a vociferous supporter of the Nationalists.

“Wearing his Stewart kilt, he marched up and down the grounds during the ‘ campaign’, shouting ‘Scotland for ever’, ‘ freedom for the Scots’ and ‘down with the rule from Whitehall’.

Together with his other political supporters, he held aloft a banner saying, ‘ Vo t e for the S c o tt i s h Nationalists’.”

Ms Seward added: “Charles went on to have a warm relationship with Alex Salmond.

“Mr Salmond, who also got on well with the Queen because of a shared love of horse racing, took a shine to Charles because he felt that anybody who loved

Scotland was OK by him. And through what Charles was as doing at Dumfries House, he saw that he really did love Scotland.

“But Charles has never had the same relationship with Nicola Sturgeon. It is polite and civil but more professional.

“May b e if she k n ew Charles once campaigned for independence the relationship would be warmer.

“Given the current climate for independence, it is very amusing and a little embarrassing.”

Ms Seward added: “My husband Ross and Charles were members of the same debating socie ty, the ‘Sophists club’, which met at the home of the deputy English master Eric Anderson. They were driven to the house by Charles’s detective Michael Varney.

“When Charles spoke in a debate all traces of shyness left him and he was one of the best debaters.

“He loved Scotland, loved wearing his kilt and on the last day of school, the Queen came to see him and he wore his Hu n t i n g Stewart kilt in her honour.

“He also loved Scottish poetry and Robbie Burns was one of his favourites and had a book of Scottish ballads he would carry around with him and learned them by heart.”

Charles was a pupil at Gordonstoun from 1962 and it is belie ved his campaigning for the SNP took place at the school’s mock elections ahead of the real general election in 1964, won by Labour ’s Harold Wilson.

The SNP’s leader at the time was journalist Arthur Donaldson.

Charles’s SNP days are detailed in Ms Seward’s new book about his father, Prince Philip Revealed, from Simon and Schuster, price £20.

DAY OUT: The Queen and Prince Charles during one of the monarch’s visits to Gordounstoun School, where Charles was a pupil from 1962.