Claims of intervention before Scottish referendum spark scrutiny
A fresh revelation has put William in the spotlight after claims emerged that he urged Queen Elizabeth II to step into the debate ahead of Scotland’s 2014 independence referendum.
According to a new book, Power and the Palace by Valentine Low, the future king allegedly encouraged the late Queen’s private secretary, Sir Christopher Geidt, to find a way for her to intervene. Days before the vote, the Queen told well-wishers in Scotland that she hoped people would “think very carefully about the future.”
Former Prime Minister David Cameron later admitted that he had also lobbied the monarch to speak out. The referendum ended with 55 percent of Scots voting to remain in the United Kingdom.
Low’s account suggests that pressure on the Queen came not only from Cameron but also from William. He writes that both Geidt and cabinet secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood had already been weighing the constitutional limits of such a move and worked out the wording of her remarks.
The claims have triggered political reaction in Scotland. Senior SNP figures are demanding clarity from the royal family on whether they influenced the outcome of the vote.
Angus Robertson, Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, said that the monarchy should not “involve itself in day-to-day political questions.” First Minister John Swinney said he could not verify the claims but stressed that it was up to the Scottish people alone to decide their constitutional future.
Former SNP MP Tommy Sheppard went further, calling for an investigation. Speaking to GB News, he said: “If true, it runs a coach and horses through the claim that the Royal Family are not involved in politics and further undermines their standing. The public have a right to know if this happened or not. It is time for William to tell what happened.”
