THE monarch is expected to stay strictly neutral on political matters – but the Jouker can reveal reports of how King Charles III once represented the SNP.
A delve into the archives finds an in-depth profile of then Prince Charles in The Tatler in November 1966 to mark his 18th birthday.
The King backed the SNP when he took part in a mock election held at Gordonstoun – even running through the school shouting “Scotland for Home Rule”, according to the high society magazine, which was published at that time under the title London Life.
The report noted that it is “difficult to say which way” Charles is inclined politically, as royals cannot express a preference for any party – but added Charles is known to regard the three major parties “not enthusiastically”.
“Obviously one can assume that Gordonstoun alumni are usually Tory,” it stated.
“But in a mock General Election at the school two years ago, Charles sported the tartan emblem of the Scottish Nationalist Party, which finished second to the Tories, pushing Labour to the bottom of the poll.”
The article quotes the headmaster at the time, Robert Chew, who explained how he decided it would be a “good exercise” for the schoolboys, with candidates paying £1 to raise funds for charity.
There was a Welsh nationalist and an Irish nationalist candidate, but Chew commented: “They got little support and couldn’t even raise the deposit. So they joined up with the Scottish nationalists.
“We also had a Communist but he got nowhere.”
Chew described how the mock election saw parades in the grounds of the school with banners and loudspeaker, pupils hanging out of windows with megaphones to campaign for their party and an eve-of-poll rally at which all the candidates spoke.
“Amid all this Charles joined in vociferously,” the article stated. “He, and fellow Scottish nationalists, rushed through the school shouting ‘Scotland for Home Rule’.”
Unsurprisingly the Tories won the mock election with 140 votes, but with a majority of only 11.
Perhaps it was the King’s campaign efforts which helped the SNP to win second place.
The article suggested Charles voted that way to avoid having to support a “major political party” – pointing out that his position means he can never “indulge” in politics.
But the Jouker would instead like to think that King Charles III secretly believes in the people of Scotland having the power to govern their own affairs.
