Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Sturgeon meets Queen a day after announcing indyref2 plans

The First Minister met the monarch in the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.

Katrine Bussey
Wednesday 29 June 2022 14:23 BST
The Queen held an audience with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh (Jane Barlow/PA)
The Queen held an audience with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh (Jane Barlow/PA) (PA Wire)

Your support helps us to tell the story

This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.

The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.

Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has met with the Queen – less than 24 hours after unveiling plans for a second Scottish independence referendum.

The monarch, 96, held an audience with the Scottish First Minister, as well as one with Holyrood’s Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone.

The meetings took place at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, where the Queen is staying for Holyrood week, during which the royal family traditionally carries out a number of engagements in Scotland.

The meetings were in private, with no details of the conversations revealed.

Buckingham Palace confirmed the Queen had received both the Presiding Officer and the First Minister.

SNP policy is to retain the Queen as head of state if Scotland becomes independent.

Speaking ahead of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations earlier this month, Ms Sturgeon praised the “life and service of an extraordinary woman” as she paid tribute to the Queen.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in