The King has been invited to work on a Scottish croft again – by the SNP’s Ian Blackford. The party’s ex-Westminster leader has offered to host Charles to help him promote the rural way of life he loves. Blackford, one of Charles’s privy councillors, would love to introduce him to his sheepdog Maisie, who has been rounding up the flock on his croft on Skye for 11 years.
The MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber said of the King: “He has a love of crofting and is a champion of the way of life. I have offered the opportunity previously and would reiterate that welcome for him to share the experience again as it would give a boost to crofting at a time when it especially needs it.
“I know the King would love to enjoy working on a croft again and I hope His Majesty will find time in his busy schedule ahead.” Blackford, who has about 35 sheep, has been a crofter for 11 years on his 10-acre croft at Waternish and also has access to common grazing land.
The King worked as a crofter during two formative five-day stays on Berneray in the Western Isles. He lived with Gloria MacKillop and her husband Donald Alick, known as Splash, in secret in 1987. While there he planted and lifted potatoes, helped with the sheep and planted trees.
He returned in 1991, this time with TV presenter Selina Scott for the programme A Prince Among Islands. The then prince returned to officially open Berneray’s causeway to North Uist in 1999 and paid tribute to Splash when he died in 2009.
Charles also told islanders that he found crofting very inspirational and had taken many of the things he learned there and put them to use on his organic farm at Highgrove, Gloucestershire.
For Blackford, who stepped down as the SNP’s Westminster leader to be replaced by Aberdeen South MP Stephen Flynn, meeting Maisie could seal the deal for the King’s return.
While working from home, he asked a question via video link at Prime Minister’s Questions when Maisie started barking
as then prime minister Boris Johnson answered. Blackford said: “She has become quite a star with quite a following – she can smell out Tory sleaze from 600 miles away.”
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond. Sign up to our daily newsletter here .
