About 100 anti-monarchist protesters booed and loudly chanted “not my king” as Scotland marked the coronation of King Charles and his wife Camilla on Wednesday.
Crowds gathered on the famous Royal Mile in Edinburgh during a grand procession full of pageantry, and a solemn church service took place where the king was presented with the Honours of Scotland, Britain’s oldest crown jewels.
Charles and Camilla were crowned in London’s Westminster Abbey in May in front of about 100 world leaders in Britain’s biggest ceremonial event for seven decades.
But in a nod to the historical fact that England and Scotland had different monarchs until the crowns were united in 1603, separate Scottish celebrations to herald his coronation were held on Wednesday.
A people’s procession involved about 100 people representing various aspects of Scottish life, and a royal procession featured hundreds of service personnel, along with military pipe and drum bands.
But as at the coronation itself, there were protests by opponents of the monarchy.
Police said they had arrested two women, aged 20 and 21, after they allegedly attempted to climb over a crowd safety barrier on the Royal Mile.
Graham Smith, the chief executive of anti-monarchist group Republic, who was arrested at the coronation in London in May, said: “This pointless vanity parade in Edinburgh will cost Scottish taxpayers millions of pounds, and for what? So Charles can once again be centre of attention for a day.”
The question of Scottish independence is also still a prominent political issue and some who support secession also want an elected head of state.
The Scottish Green co-leaders, Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater, had confirmed they would not be attending the royal event.
Harvie said the monarchy is one of the reasons he supports Scottish independent.
Slater also explained: “In 21st Century Scotland, the monarchy is nothing to celebrate.”
She called it an “out-of-date and undemocratic institution”, asking: “How can we justify a system that allows one family to enjoy so much unearned wealth and privilege at a time when millions of people have so little?”
Alex Salmond, former first minister and SNP leader, had said he has “politely declined” an invitation to go to the ceremony too, and claimed Charles would be “the last king of Scots”.