King Charles was reportedly forced to sit through an 'anti-British' play during the opening ceremony of the Scottish Parliament, sparking fury from opposition MSPs. The performance, titled 'As Other See Us', included an excerpt from 'Through a Shortbread Tin' which allegedly suggested the British Empire was racist and contained anti-British attitudes.
King's Address and Play Backlash
The King, accompanied by Queen Camilla, had addressed Scottish political leaders in the Holyrood chamber to mark the start of the seventh Scottish Parliament term following May's election. He praised the Tartan Army for their performances at the ongoing World Cup in the USA. However, the subsequent play, commissioned by parliamentary officials, has been slammed as 'historically illiterate' and 'divisive'.
Russell Findlay, the Scottish Conservative leader, said: 'Many people say this performance struck an unfortunate and unnecessary note. This was disrespectful towards the King especially after he had delivered such a thoughtful and dignified speech. On state occasions like these, the parliament should not indulge in veiled swipes at the monarchy or the peddling of petty nationalist sentiment and historical illiteracy.'
Demands for Explanation
The party's justice spokesman, Stephen Kerr, has demanded to know who approved the script of the play. It reportedly involved an exchange between two Scots about whether their nation was on the 'right side of history', with one claiming that Scotland was a more moral country than England. Mr Kerr said: 'Those responsible owe Parliament and the public a full explanation. They should tell us who approved this performance, what safeguards were followed and why they believed it was acceptable to inject this kind of divisive politics into one of Scotland’s most important constitutional occasions.'
Thomas Kerr, Reform’s deputy leader, added: 'Questions need to be asked about the anti-British, anti-monarchist poem read out by the National Theatre of Scotland. Whoever thought that was a good idea has caused embarrassment for Scotland.'
Scottish Parliament Response
A spokesman for the Scottish Parliament said: 'As Others See Us was a theatrical performance by young people exploring issues around culture and identity. Our programme for the Opening Ceremony included, as in previous years, a number of performances from different organisations across Scotland.' The controversy comes as the Royal Family faces ongoing scrutiny, with recent updates on Princess Kate's cancer treatment from Kensington Palace.
