Has The Queen dying at Balmoral harmed the Scottish independence movement?

[Sharrowgirl]

I was just reading an article about how her death in Scotland has put the country at the front and centre of things, and shown that many Scottish are supportive of the monarchy, judging by the turnout. And equally, that Scotland is important to the monarchy. And that this might remind some people that maybe they want to remain part of the Union after all?

Though it’s not entirely clear whether an independent Scotland would retain the monarchy as head of state, so perhaps it’s not relevant?

I'm not convinced there is any connection between the two things.

No connection between the monarchy and Scotland being an independent country?

The Nats on Twitter and other social media platforms were desperate to write off the people standing 6 deep on the Royal Mile as tourists.

They weren't. Doesn't fit their narrative though.

Haven't the SNP said that if Scotland became independent the British monarch would still be Head of State?

This.

Not at all. These are two separate issues. The Union of the Crown was 100 years before the Act of Union, so completely different.
Not everyone who supports Independence for Scotland disliked the Queen, or are not paying respects to her.

I can't see many people thinking 'well I was going to vote for independence, bit then the queen died at Balmoral'.

I think it’s up for debate but I’d be happy to be corrected on that.

Though it’s not entirely clear whether an independent Scotland would retain the monarchy as head of state, so perhaps it’s not relevant?

What are you basing this on?

There is no suggestion that an Indi Scotland would simultaneously declare a Republic at the point of disentangling itself from the UK. Nobody is suggesting any such thing, but if at some point in the future Scotland decides to hold a referendum on the matter then that's entirely for the people of Scotland to decide.

FWIW, I think the utter ridiculousness of the scale and extent of the coverage, the astronomical cost of burying one old woman, the disruption in Edinburgh right now, and the servility of the likes of the BBC will do nothing to endear many to the UK, but it's far more likely to affect opinions on the question of the future of the monarchy and H.O.S, and I can't see this pompous farce driving people's opinions toward the monarchy, quite the opposite.

It's been rubbished repeatedly by the SNP that they somehow want rid of the monarchy, but then that's just one political party, not the entirety of the Indi movement, and it's a matter that would require a public plebiscite in any case.

What the SNP think is neither here nor there, but it's in keeping with conflating every single aspect of Scots indi with the SNP.

I think it has. I live in Scotland.

Prior to the queen dying, if the royal family were not continually washing their dirty laundry in the news (and the occasional MN thread) I would have little knowledge of their current activities. IME even their dirty laundry is rarely talked about up here, I have made comments to dh about Prince Andrew when items come up on the news, but otherwise the royal family is a subject that never comes up with family, friends or work colleagues.

Most young people would even struggle to name the Queens children (apart from the one who has just become King and the other one that pops up on social media jokes due to the allegations against him). The monarchy is irrelevant to this generation of young voters and to independence.

If anything the grotesque display of wealth and privilege, lack of knowledge about their purpose, and a less admired new monarch with strengthen it.

Not at all. I'm pro independence and I am not a monarchist. But I know keeping the monarchy has been promised - I'm not thrilled about it but I'll cope.

Like someone said it is separate. I've also heard a few on the fence Scots say they are republicans after the spectacle of the last week.

🤣 They’ve said many, many, many things over the years which never come to anything/not true/can’t deliver.

Name one political party that has delivered everything (successfully) 🤷‍♀️

Two very different things...although I was listening to someone being interviewed about the issue the other night and apparently support for the monarch amongst the nationalists is in the late 20s percent compared to 70-something % amongst the Tories and 60-plus something amongst Labour and Lib dems. I suspect that the SNP will present a case for keeping the monarchy whilst there's a referendum on the horizon (if they can get it through) , but beyond that, who knows - it will be dependent on if/how the monarchy adapts and modernises and if the younger generation decides to keep it over the next 50 years or so.

I don't know. But I do think it was planned that she would die at Balmoral, in an attempt to help unite the union.

Someone actually predicted this on Reddit a few days before she died.
Very eerie.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotland/comments/x2d3di/i_think_the_queen_is_planning_on_dying_in/

No I’m my opinion. They are two different issues? Scotland previously was independent and had a monarchy. It might be independent in the future and choose to have a monarch or be a republic?

Long term, no I don't think so.

OP was specifically referring to a statement from John Swinneybot, who is always wheeled out to spin the lies and bad news. No relevance to any other parties given they’ve been in pretendy power for 14 years. When the narrative moves away from the royals, the shouts for independence will kick back in, with no regard to recent events, sadly. Same old, same old grievances.

I wish I was a bit less cynical, but I think it's been crystal clear she's been hanging on at Balmoral simply because it's far easier, less disruptive, and probably less of a burden to the economy to foist this nonsense on Edinburgh at the drop of a hat than it is central London. They've known she was on her way out for months as evidenced by the emotional state of Charles when he left after that visit back in early summer, and their determination to celebrate a 70th jubilee (itself a nonsense) knowing damned fine there wasn't a hope in hell of her making it to a 75th.

It would have been interesting had they tried to do what they did yesterday a month ago with the festival in full swing, though no doubt that would all have been swept aside despite it seemingly being completely untouchable every other year.

Survey99 LABOUR PARYY - NHS 🌹

I’m a ‘no’ for independence and have felt quite comforted by the number of people lining routes etc It makes me hopeful that if there is another ‘once in a lifetime’ vote that it will go the same way.

I really don’t think it’s related. Becoming a republic has never been an objective of independence, it’s an orthogonal issue. Personally, I do think that if we become independent we would have a referendum in a few years and would likely become a republic because support for the monarchy isn’t high in Scotland, but independence is about Westminster and self-determination, it’s not about the royal family. I can’t see this affecting the independence vote much either way.

Also, although the roads were lined with people and the queues to see her were long, it’s still a very, very small percentage of the population. The jubilee was almost invisible in Scotland, most people don’t care that much.