King Charles speaks of ‘the weight of history’ Queen’s departure revives Scottish independence aspirations

King Charles III assured the members of the House of Commons and Lords of his sense of the “weight of history”, which reminded him of the vibrant parliamentary tradition to which members of both Houses devote themselves. In his speech, Charles pledged to continue the path and approach of the late Queen Elizabeth II, who “spent her life in the service of her country and preserved the system of constitutional monarchy” and preserve British traditions before addressing the members of the House of Commons and the Lords, stating that “British Parliament is the living instrument of our democracy.” In addition, the British, as of yesterday, can get a close look at their late queen, her body, which was transported to Edinburgh, with the start of the farewell week leading up to the national funeral on 19 September. In anticipation of a national funeral, her son, the new king, has gradually taken up his duties amid social crisis and division in the United Kingdom, as well as protests against the colonial past in 14 countries where he is considered the head of state. Charles III holds this position and is the oldest British monarch at the time of his accession to the throne. The king and his wife will pass behind the coffin, and the rest of the royal family will go on a journey by car, which will last half an hour. During religious ceremonies, a Scottish crown of solid gold will be placed on the coffin. Charles III, who has promised to serve his people all his life, receives the Prime Minister of Scotland and independence fighter Nicola Sturgeon. The death of Queen Elizabeth II in Scotland forever linked the history of this region with the queen, but her departure also renews the heated debate about the independence of this British province. Will King Charles III, unpopular with his mother, succeed in embodying this guarantor of the unity of the nation? Some political observers and experts are skeptical about this, believing that the mourning period could lead to a regression in already strained relations. “The handover of the crown is a fragile milestone,” legal expert and constitutional law professor Adam Tomkins told The Herald as the Scottish independence movement has gained momentum in recent years. And the popularity of the Scottish National Party, which has been in power since 2007 and has been calling for independence, has risen in Scotland since Brexit, as the British province voted 62% to stay in the European Union. Despite repeated rejection by the British government, Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced at the end of June that she wants to organize a new independence referendum on October 19, 2023. The Supreme Court of Great Britain will consider this decision on 11 and 12 October. A referendum on the issue was held in 2014, with 55 per cent of Scottish voters opting to stay in the UK. However, the Scottish National Party believes that the facts have changed and the death of the queen, who was a symbol of succession, may give the Scots one more reason to support independence. The new king has a special relationship with Scotland. Apart from his penchant for wearing a Scottish skirt, Charles III spent part of his youth at a strict boarding school in the county, where he had several houses. Some local papers such as the Daily Record saw his well-known commitment to environmental issues as an opportunity for Scotland, hoping that the new monarch would push the province to shed its coal-mining and industrial past and become a clean energy engine. .