INDEPENDENCE support would rise to 59% from 54% if it meant Scotland would be a republic, a new poll shows.
Support for independence was found to have risen to 54% when undecided voters are excluded earlier this month in poll commissioned by The Times following the Scottish Budget.
Campaign group Believe in Scotland (BiS) commissioned pollsters Norstat to ask the same panel if Scotland removing the King as head of state would affect how they would vote.
Support went from 54% in the same poll to 59%.
The poll shows independence support increased among those who voted SNP in the General Election by three points, should it mean ditching the monarchy.
With the republic caveat, independence support among Reform voters increased by two points, Tories by three, Labour by five, and LibDems by seven.
Founder of BiS Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp said: "That's quite a jump and although roughly what my gut was telling me to expect, it’s also strange to see it confirmed after all these years of no polling on that issue. It throws up lots of questions, first being will this be repeated in future polls?
"Does this reflect the current generation of royals or will William becoming King, with his more media friendly Queen, change things?"
MacIntyre-Kemp also called for discussions on the role of the monarchy in the constitution of an independent Scotland to take place now.
He said: "It is one thing to say that a newly independent Scotland should be a republic and another to say that if the UK continues, it should become a republic.
"In other words, it would seem ridiculous to design a monarchy based form of government if you were writing the constitution for a newly independent nation in the modern world. Lots to discuss but one thing is for sure, we should begin those discussions now."
The poll came after a republican campaigner claimed Keir Starmer and John Swinney are “more than happy” to “bow in deference” to the monarchy.
Tristan Grayford, of Scottish anti-monarchy group Our Republic, spoke to The National about whether he feels investigative media coverage of the royal family would increase in the future on the back of a key Channel 4 Dispatches investigation.
The broadcaster aired a probe last month into the “secret millions” the royal family are earning each year. Asked if he felt media coverage of the royals would change going forward, Grayford said it would depend on the tone set by political leaders, casting doubt on whether “status quo” Swinney and Starmer would be the ones to influence any transformation.
Commenting on the poll, Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie MSP said Scotland could "thrive as an independent republic, rather than staying beholden to antiquated ideas and customs that do not serve our country or its citizens well".
He added: “Equality has always been at the heart of our vision for Scotland, and that is completely incompatible with an outdated, unjustified and anti-democratic institution like the monarchy.
“With independence we can do so much more to build a fairer, more representative Scotland, and having an elected head of state is an essential part of this.
“The Scottish Greens have long supported an end to the monarchy, and it’s clear that a growing number of people across Scotland agree.
“The future that I want for Scotland is as an independent republic where power rests with the people rather than being passed down like a family heirloom.”
Alba leader Kenny MacAskill said it came "as little surprise" for Scots to support a republic and urged voters to vote Alba as they "genuinely advocate" on the position.
He added: “The Scottish people are tired of the endless merry-go-round of lies, broken promises and cruelty that Westminster politics foists upon Scotland.
“We are faced with the perversity that we live in an energy rich country, yet we have some of our most vulnerable people facing a long hard winter unable to heat their homes. Those same concerns won’t be held in the lavish surroundings of Buckingham Palace this winter."
The SNP were approached for comment.
