The Queen is to lead a Royal charm offensive to help persuade Scotland to resist the demands of nationalists for independence – with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge expected to play a key supporting role. Officials at No 10 have held discussions about how to emphasise ‘cultural bonds’ – with the Royal Family seen as one of the most powerful weapons in the armoury. The Queen is impartial in constitutional matters but she made a rare political intervention four days before the Scottish independence referendum in 2014. All members of the Royal Family have a strong affinity with Scotland.’Her tour follows a visit by Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday. That was partly influenced by realism – at the time 54 per cent of Scots wanted to keep the Royal Family, even if they left the UK.
