The coffin of Elizabeth II left the royal home of Balmoral in Scotland on Sunday morning en route to the planned funeral in London. The monarchical shroud first stopped for a few days in Edinburgh, where he arrived on Sunday afternoon. This stopover is not trivial. The country of the tartans threatens again to proclaim its independence.
The Queen has always had a soft spot for Scotland. Her favorite residence, where she breathed her last breath, is in the hollow of a green valley in the north of Great Britain. His own mother grew up in a Scottish noble family.
Tens of thousands of Scots returned that affection on Sunday as the royal hearse passed through the center of Edinburgh. A round of applause accompanied the procession to the funeral halt at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence of the sovereigns in the capital of Scotland.
“The Scots are more attached to the monarchy than to the government of Westminster”, affirms the Edinburgher Andrew Smith, just after the passage of the queen. “She held the UK together with her matriarchal figure. Prince Charles…I mean King Charles is loved too. But will he be loved enough? I do not know. »
Charles McGlone and his mother Fiona Henderson also watched the hearse pass with emotion. Wrapped in the flags of the United Kingdom and Scotland respectively, they are worried about the future of their countries.
“There is still room for this institution in 2022”, slices the youngest. ” [La monarchie] is apolitical, whereas in other countries we see politicians who attempt coups. The royal family always puts the people above politics. »
“Could we have an independent Scottish government, but remain under the crown? During the referendum [en 2014, avec pour résultat le non à 55.3 %], the Yes camp has been silent on this, ”denounces his mother. “But the real question is where will the money come from? We are not transparent on this point. If it’s only for flags and songs, it won’t pass. It also takes diplomatic politicians, brilliant minds, not people who quarrel and want independence for themselves. »
First in the background, Fiona’s mother, Theresa Henderson, adds her comment as a proud Irishwoman. “The benefits of Irish independence only came much later, when we joined the European Union. And then, we had exemplary and honest politicians. She pauses to weigh her words. “I hope King Charles will be like his mother. »
The Kingdom of Indecision
Some 70 kilometers to the east, the atmosphere was far less formal in modern Glasgow. The day before, the streets were filled with happy revelers. To ask questions about the Queen on this Saturday evening is to be answered by a wave of the hand above the head. Or by vociferations with a strong Gaelic accent.
Guitar slung over his shoulder, Andrew Tom Neil, 26, has just finished a show downtown. “It was quieter than usual, that’s for sure. For him, the queen’s death will not change anything. Independence is inevitable. “It’s been decades since we voted for the people who represent us in London. I don’t want to be annoyed with decisions that don’t respect us anymore. Each country should decide what is good for them. […] Either way, Britain is screwed. »
In front of his Scotch Ale, Simon Flockhart holds a “ cocker spaniel », a breed of dog he affectionately nicknames « scottish cocker spaniel “. He remains nonetheless very attached both to the United Kingdom and to the British crown.
“It’s 50/50 here. For every monarchist, you have an anti-monarchist. For every member of the European Union, you have a supporter of Brexit. It’s really divided, ”he concedes.
In fact, 62% of Scots voted in 2016 to remain European, the highest percentage in the entire kingdom. The pursuit of Brexit despite this clear majority rightly disappoints many. It is on this “betrayal” that the dormant “Yes” camp insists. “I was against independence, then Brexit happened,” argues a testimony on one of their websites.
The Balancing King
Sunday in Edinburgh, booms of separatists were heard after the ” Hoorays during the proclamation that formalized the reign of Charles III. These boos find echoes among politicians. Nicola Sturgeon, the First Minister of Scotland, and member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), has already advanced the date of October 19, 2023 for the holding of a second referendum on independence .
His ideological opponent, the new British Prime Minister, Liz Truss, said more recently at the time of her inauguration: “To me, we are not just neighbours, we are family. And I will never let our family be separated! »
“It’s a stalemate in the midst of turbulence,” said Emeritus Professor of Politics at the University of Edinburgh, James Mitchell, in an interview. “PNS people I talk to tell me that to go ahead with a referendum would be madness. If they lose the second, they won’t have that chance for a very long time. »
And then Scottish independence cannot take shape in opposition to the monarchy, he confirms. “There are more Republicans in Scotland than in the rest of the UK, but it’s not a very strong movement. »
James Mitchell is of the opinion that the Scots, with a new King and a new First Minister within a week, will want to experience some stability in the coming times. “King Charles will soon begin a tour of the UK — which is rather unusual — to reassure the constituent countries. […] The risk is that he gets too politically involved. In private, it’s fine, but not in public. If he lobbies ministers too much, that’s where the monarchy is vulnerable. »
The late queen was careful not to interfere directly in the politics of the kingdom. She always stated her opinion in detours and half-words. His position on Scottish independence had fooled no one. She said “people will think very carefully about the future”. In other words, being the queen who lost Scotland would have tainted her legacy forever.
Did passing away in Scotland hold such cryptic significance? This is unlikely, as she spent almost all of her autumns in the North. However, if the queen had passed away in London or elsewhere, she would not have been able to collect one last time the applause of the country of tartans.
According to the protocol announced, his coffin must be exposed to the public for 24 hours at Saint-Gilles Cathedral before leaving by plane for London on Tuesday evening.