Royals seek deal to keep Scotland

THE ROYAL Family is discussing plans under which it would surrender some of its powers in return for the monarchy surviving in an independent Scotland.

Contingency plans are being talked about with the Scottish National Party to try to ensure that the monarch would remain Queen or King in Scotland even if the Scottish people vote to break away.

The move could hasten the gradual process of Royal reform through the United Kingdom, speeding the transition to a "Scandinavian-style monarchy". Royal sources say the Queen is "very worried" about the prospect of an advance by the SNP which today launches its Scottish General Election campaign in Edinburgh for Scotland's first legislature in 300 years.

Even if the Nationalists fail to win a majority on 6 May, they look certain to form a sizeable Opposition and the Royals fear they will win power at a future election. The SNP's policy is to call a referendum on independence. If the Scottish people vote to go-it-alone, another referendum would be called on the future of the monarchy.

There is a strong republican presence amongst SNP activists. Ewan Dow, deputy leader of Perth and Kinross Council, has branded the Royals "Lizzy Windsor and the Spongers", while Roseanna Cunningham, the SNP MP for Perth, has said that describing the party as republican was a matter of "political honesty".

The Royals hope that, by giving up some of their constitutional powers in an independent Scotland, they will head off the proposed referendum which could create a Scottish republic.

Under the accommodation, the Queen or King might retain some ceremonial functions but would lose the power to dissolve the Scottish Parliament. The Royal prerogative, under which the Government acts without reference to Parliament, would be replaced by a written Scottish constitution.

Prince Charles is said to be sympathetic to the idea of a slimmed-down monarchy if Scotland becomes independent. At his request, he met Alex Salmond, the SNP leader, at Balmoral last October - the first formal contact between the party at the Royals.

Opinion polls suggest the Scottish people want to retain the Royal Family and SNP sources say Mr Salmond opposes the hard-line republicanism of many of his party's activists.

But he would face accusations of a "sell-out" if he sought to ditch the promised referendum on the monarchy.

"Scotland had the same King as England for 100 years before the Act of Union in 1707," said a close ally of Mr Salmond. "There is no reason why we cannot do the same again, but there would have to be real reform of the monarchy."

James VI became King of Scotland in 1567 and succeeded to the throne of England in 1603 as James I. On his death in 1625, he was succeeded by Charles I.