Royal Wedding - Scotland

On the radio news on the evening of the Royal Wedding there was a report about celebrations in St Andrews where TRH the Duke and Duchess met, but pointing out the much lower level of celebrations in Scotland than England, and how a republican-minded group had demonstrated outside Holyroodhouse.

There may have been less interest in Scotland - though clearly St Andrews joined in enthusiastically - but it may not be so much of a news story as might appear. I do not blame this on stereotypes of Scottish dourness or whatever per se, but I do recall hearing from a Scotswoman forty years ago that even in Edinburgh people did not turn out for royal visits as they did in England.

That said I recall seeing crowds on television for the state visit of the King of Sweden to Edinburgh in the 1970s, and the crowds who greeted the Pope in the city last September were very impressive indeed. Maybe the Scots are less responsive, but they will turn out if there really is someone to see. So perhaps the public response last week was less exhuberant than selsewhere, but it may well not be a significant new development.