Criticism has emerged after King Charles was made to watch what opposition politicians described as an “anti-British” theatrical performance during the Scottish Parliament’s opening ceremony on Sunday.
The monarch, accompanied by Queen Camilla, had just delivered an address to MSPs marking the beginning of Holyrood’s seventh session following May’s election when young performers took to the stage with a piece that appeared to characterise the British Empire as racist.
Opposition MSPs have condemned the performance, titled “As Others See Us,” as “historically illiterate” and “divisive,” with demands now being made for parliamentary officials to explain who sanctioned the controversial script.
The piece featured an excerpt from “Through a Shortbread Tin,” performed by members of the Lyceum Youth Theatre in Edinburgh, which depicted a dialogue between two Scottish characters debating whether their nation stood on the “right side of history.”
One character espoused the view, popular among some Scottish nationalists, that Scotland held greater moral standing than England, while the other adopted a more sceptical stance towards such claims of Scottish exceptionalism.
Several MSPs took issue with the production’s association of British history with empire, racism, plantations and slavery, viewing it as inappropriate for such a significant constitutional occasion.
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay accused the performance of striking “an unfortunate and unnecessary note,” describing it as “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,” Mr Findlay added.
His colleague Stephen Kerr, the party’s justice spokesman, has written to Scottish Parliament chief executive David McGill seeking answers about the approval process.
“Those responsible owe Parliament and the public a full explanation,” Mr Kerr stated, questioning what safeguards were followed and why officials deemed it acceptable to introduce “divisive politics” into such an important constitutional event.
Reform’s deputy leader Thomas Kerr demanded answers about what he termed an “anti-British, anti-monarchist poem,” stating that whoever approved the decision “has caused embarrassment for Scotland.”
Christopher McEleny, a former aide to Alex Salmond during his Alba party leadership, posted on X that the performance was “utter cringe,” adding that one need not be a unionist to hold such a view.
A Scottish Parliament spokesman defended the programme, describing it as “a theatrical performance by young people exploring issues around culture and identity,” noting that the opening ceremony traditionally includes performances from various organisations across Scotland.
