A leading historian has claimed the succession of King Charles III will not pose a threat to the institution of the monarchy – and said he would not ‘rock the boat’.
Sir Tom Devine, who was knighted by the late Queen in 2015, said the new king would model his reign on his mother’s.
But he said it would be a ‘hard act to follow’ and that Charles would not achieve anything like the popularity of The Queen.
Sir Tom, professor emeritus of history at Edinburgh University, said he didn’t think there was any potential destabilisation or threat to the monarchy in the short run.
Sir Tom said in his new role as monarch Charles would not seek to interfere in politics and would remain strictly neutral on political issues as the constitution demands.
He said: “I have been looking at his recent announcements over the last two or three years and the concern that he might be a much more controversial monarch.
“But in a recent interview he gave he admitted the concerns of people and said ‘When I become King I will not behave the same way I did as Prince of Wales’,” said Sir Tom.
“So I think there is absolutely no sense of him rocking the boat if you can take him at his word.
“In the short run, over the next couple of years, the nations of the UK will circle round and support the royal family given the grief they are going through.
“I don’t think there is any potential destabilisation or threat to the monarchy in the short run.
“I’m not confident there is any threat to it in the medium term either and perhaps even in the long term.”
Sir Tom noted the King’s connections to Scotland including the important influence on him of the late Queen Mother who was born and grew up in Glamis Castle in Angus.
And while he believed Charles III will never be as popular a monarch in Scotland, he said Charles would follow his mother in holding Scotland in high regard.
Sir Tom said: “As far as the Scottish dimension is concerned I would say he has been in the Highlands of Scotland more regularly even than his mother.
“He was influenced in a major way by his granny, the former Queen Mother.
“Because of her Scottish aristocratic background, she had a tremendous love of Scotland.
“At her funeral the steady beat of the Scottish pipes and drums was a strong feature.
“I think the royal connection with Scotland and, in particular, Highland Scotland will be maintained under King Charles III’s reign.
“One of the Queen’s advantages was that she regarded Scotland as a historic nation.
“The current [UK] Government doesn’t have that.
“It’s treating Scotland as a regional appendage, like north Britain rather than a historic nation.
“Like his mother, Charles III will have the same respect for Scotland as one of the important nations, if not the second-most important nation, in the UK.”
Sir Tom said coming to the throne at the age of 73 presented difficulties in terms of popularity and legacy.
He added: “How can he compete with his mother?
“He certainly won’t reign for as long, so it could be a short-lived monarchy.
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“No other monarch has followed through the coronation oath to serve the people of the country as enthusiastically and as effectively as she has done.
“It’s been a tour de force of a performance.
“It is a very hard act to follow and I don’t think he will ever achieve anything like the popularity of his mother.
“However, I don’t see the succession of King Charles III as a threat to the monarchy.
“Obviously the best way to behave would be to completely follow his mother’s model.
“Do the job to the best of his ability, thoroughly and competently.”
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