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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
National
Abbi Garton-Crosbie

King Charles III proclamation ceremony met with booing in Edinburgh

A protester in the crowds as they watch an Accession Proclamation Ceremony at Mercat Cross, Edinburgh, publicly proclaiming King Charles III as the new monarch.

THE proclamation of King Charles was met with booing in Edinburgh.

Across the UK announcements of the new monarch took place simultaneously in Edinburgh, Cardiff in Wales and Hillsborough in Northern Ireland, as the Royal protocol for appointing a new head of state gets underway.

In Scotland's capital, however, one protestor was removed from the scene by police and multiple boos could be heard while the ceremony took place on the Royal Mile.

The First Minister attended the ceremony in Edinburgh on Sunday

The BBC, which has been broadcasting the 175-mile route of the Queen's coffin from Balmoral to the capital on Sunday, also showed the proclamation ceremony held at noon.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was joined by other political leaders in Edinburgh while the ceremony took place. Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and Scottish LibDem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton were also seen in attendance. 

The Lord Lyon King of Arms led the ceremony at the Mercat Cross on the Royal Mile. 

The Lord Lyon at Mercat Cross, Edinburgh, publicly proclaiming King Charles III as the new monarch.

The proclamation of "God Save the King" was followed by a 21-round salute, during which loud booing could be heard. 

The national anthem was then sung by the crowd, which was accompanied by music from the band.

After it was sung, people could be heard calling for a republic.

The Lord Lyon King lead three cheers, saying “Hip hip”, to which the crowd then replied with “Hooray!”

One man was heard booing through the cheers, with other members of the crowd shouting back: “Oh shut up.” A group of people were then heard laughing.

Onlookers suggested the boos came from one person, while footage circulating on social media taken from the BBC's coverage appeared to show louder heckling during the 21-gun salute. 

Donald Maclaren, 64, of Livingston, said: “It’s very disrespectful, there is a time and a place if you want to protest, but this isn’t it.

“Somebody shouted ‘republic now’ then, when they were doing the three cheers, somebody was booing.”

Liz Maclaren, 67, also branded it “disrespectful”, adding: “The boos sounded like one person.”

One 25-year-old from the capital, who said she did not want to be named, said: “It’s the public, it’s going to happen. It’s a public event there is always going to be someone doing something.”

It comes after republican campaigners called on Scots to object to the proclamation and stage a counter-protest. 

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