But they don't get involved in politics, not at all....

Did they want big crowds? I understood it was a low-key visit, not a bid for star look-at-us-aren't-you-lucky-we-are-here status.

Wiliam hasn't attempted so far to influence anything, only to hear an opinion or two from a few horses' mouths, bypassing the media (which DOES attempt to influence decisions, and is scarily successful) . I am not sure just how he would influence anything, he is several moves away from power.

Of course he doesn’t want Scotland to be independent, it is part of the Windsor kingdom . Can’t see the issue . Obviously not a very private unofficial meeting seeing that everyone seems to know about it.

Australia is part of the Windsor kingdom too, but it is still independent. PW doesn't get a say.

"Private" means we don't get to know what they talked about. I suppose we'll just have to guess what the 2x heir to the throne and the most prominent anti-independence campaigner is Scotland discussed, that they don't want us to know about.

The meeting with the anti-independence ex-pm was balanced with the meeting with the pro-independence First Minister. Maybe their talk was just trashing Nicola's policies, and with William and Nicola their talk was just trashing Gordon's.

Anniebach

Are big crowds allowed in Scotland ?

They happen anyway whether they are allowed or not.

Gordon doesn't have any policies. He's not elected any more.

Just got a lot to say.

He can have all the policies he likes - he is just not in a position to make them happen. All politicians like to talk a lot, that is their primary function.

Well all private citizens can have "policies". But we don't all get to talk about them in private with the future king in his Granny's Palace.

Perhaps it is just those who talk a lot.

I’m not sure that in reality a former prime minister ever reverts to being a private citizen, they all seem to be regularly approached for their views about a huge range of areas of political issues, and sit on numerous influential bodies?

I'm sure they have that opportunity Casdon.

This occurred to me over dinner; if David Cameron had rolled up to a private meeting with PW, and it hadn't been announced in advance, and Channel4 weren't allowed to film the car arriving, wouldn't that seem just a tiny bit odd?

Yes that would have seemed odd I agree Alegrias1, particularly at the moment after his recent difficulties. I’m not sure it would seem as odd if they’d met John Major though, albeit probably not in Scotland.

I did choose DC because his recent difficulties make him an easy target

Tony Blair maybe? Now that would be weird.....

Brother Chip to Cameron I’d say. Brown and Major escaped with more intact reputations.

For a family that don't get involved with politics they sure do get involved in a lot of politics.

Reminder: The Union of the Crowns is not the same as the Union of Parliaments.

www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/scotland-william-and-kate-edinburgh-cambridge-duchess-b938968.html?itm_source=Internal&itm_channel=section_banner&itm_campaign=breaking-news-ticker&itm_content=2

Reminder: The Union of the Crowns is not the same as the Union of Parliaments

Stating the obvious there.

The Acts of Union were passed by the English parliament in 1706 and the Scottish parliament in 1707.

Yes, I know Blossoming, but some posters think that its obvious that the RF would be trying to save the Union, because they (the posters) think that dissolving the Union of the Parliament means Scotland would get rid of the RF at the same time. So I was just heading off any "well what do you expect" comments.

Unfortunately its not as obvious to some as you and I think it is.

If I've understood correctly, I think a politically independent Scotland that the SNP envisages would still have the Queen as their state figurehead.

¿I suppose the roping in of the Cambridges is to try and save the political union though?

If any former PM with very strong views on independence - pro or anti - is meeting with the future monarch in private, he is clearly doing so with a view to furthering his political views

Bit like when Blair hopped over to chat with the EU pre-referendum Alegrias. It didn’t further the Remain cause either so perhaps the same will happen regards Indy2!

The "EU" are presumably political UG?

While the pro-RF people keep telling us that the RF don't get involved in politics at all, and that's one of the reasons for sticking with them.

Well they clearly do get involved in politics.

If I've understood correctly, I think a politically independent Scotland that the SNP envisages would still have the Queen as their state figurehead.

Cake and eat it.

Well they clearly do get involved in politics.

Have you never heard if the red boxes Algerias?
I'm astonished.

No, our Head of State and future Heads of State should not be biased and there is nothing to indicate that is so, but to assume that they must not be aware of everything that is going on is ludicrous.

Oh that cake comment did make me laugh Call. I guess all those independent countries where the Queen is HoS have having their cake and eating it too? You know, Canada, NZ, Australia...

We have a new phrase for attitudes like that; "know your place Unionism"

Anyway the politics thing. Pro-RF people on here say all the time that its good to have an RF instead of an elected HoS because they are above politics, they "advise" based on their vast knowledge of the constitution and history. So when we see PW having a private meeting with a pro-independence former PM with no elected post, and then 2 weeks later the news comes out that the Palace are considering getting PW to get more involved with Scotland to save the Union, forgive me, its not me that's being ludicrous.

Cake and eat it.

Just so in one sense, or possibly more than one. But, as has been pointed out, there was a royal (¿crown?) union before there was a political union in other respects.

I therefore don't think William talking to folks in Scotland is manifestly anti-independence. Not technically, when you consider the history of the crown.

People will in any case but my argument remains intact for all that ?

Insert "think it" after will