Alex Salmond claims Charles will be Scotland's last ever King

Alex Salmond claims Charles will be Scotland’s last ever King as ex-first minister fumes that Stone of Destiny is being used in Coronation and says SNP should have ordered ‘ring of policemen’ to guard historic object and stop it being sent to Westminster

• The Alba Party leader predicts an independent Scotland will ditch the monarchy

Alex Salmond tonight claimed Charles III will be Scotland’s last ever King before his country adopts an elected head of state.

The ex-first minister, who is now the leader of the Alba Party, predicted Scotland would ditch the monarchy if it breaks away from the UK.

Ahead of the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, Mr Salmond’s government at Holyrood promised Queen Elizabeth II would remain as Scotland’s head of state in the event of a ‘Yes’ vote.

But he has now insisted an independent Scotland would ‘start on the premise of a democracy’ and so cut ties with the Royal Family.

Mr Salmond also fumed that the historic ‘Stone of Destiny’ is set to be used in King Charles’s Coronation ceremony and blasted the SNP government for allowing it to be transported to Westminster.

He claimed current First Minister Humza Yousaf should have ordered a ‘ring of policemen’ to be formed around Edinburgh Castle to prevent the stone being removed.

Alex Salmond, the leader of the Alba Party, predicted Scotland would ditch the monarchy if it breaks away from the UK

The former first minister claimed Charles III will be Scotland’s last ever King before his country adopts an elected head of state

Mr Salmond also fumed that the historic ‘Stone of Destiny’ is set to be used in King Charles’s Coronation ceremony

Mr Salmond, who led Scotland between 2007 and 2014, predicted the monarchy would have a ‘limited’ role in his country in the future.

‘I think Scotland will become independent… and I think the majority of people will want to start on the basis of an elected head of state,’ he told LBC’s Tonight with Andrew Marr.

‘If you’re starting a new country, then presumably, you start on the premise of a democracy. And in that sense, I think Charles III will be the last King of Scots.’

The Stone of Destiny was welcomed to Westminster Abbey at the weekend ahead of Charles’s Coronation.

Also known as the Stone of Scone, it was transported from its usual home of Edinburgh Castle to London ahead of being placed in the Coronation Chair for the King’s enthronement.

The 125kg stone is an ancient symbol of Scotland’s monarchy and was used for centuries in the inauguration of the country’s kings.

King Edward I of England seized the stone in 1296 and had it built into a new throne at Westminster, since when it has been used in the coronation ceremonies of the monarchs of England and Great Britain.

It was officially returned to Scotland in 1996 and put on display at Edinburgh Castle.

Mr Salmond insisted, if he was still first minister, the stone ‘would not be going anywhere’.

‘The Stone of Destiny is the most ancient symbol of Scottish sovereignty,’ he added.

‘I mean, I know it’s just a lump of rock, but it’s our lump of rock. And of course, you have to understand why it was taken from Scotland by Edward Plantagenet in 1296 in the first place.

‘Edward took it to Westminster Abbey, to sit on it to symbolise English overlordship over Scotland, that’s why it was there… It’s a symbol.’

Mr Salmond suggested Mr Yousaf should have used the upcoming Coronation ceremony to redouble demands for another Scottish independence vote.

He said the First Minister should prevented the stone being transported to London until ‘the Westminster Government or King Charles III recognises the right of self-determination of the Scottish people’.

‘You don’t command very much as First Minister of Scotland, but you do command the Scottish Police Force, you could have put a ring of policemen around Edinburgh Castle,’ Mr Salmond added.

‘Have a stand-off on the Esplanade and politely explain to the world that Scotland should not sacrifice its symbol of sovereignty until that sovereignty is at least a recognised by Westminster and the powers that are.’

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