IT is regarded as a uniquely British tradition, where the road is closed off to traffic and residents gather together for tea and jam tarts beneath bunting and blue skies.

But only two street parties are known to be taking place in Scotland to mark the Royal wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle - one in Colinton in Edinburgh and one in Elgin, Moray, with the latter belatedly taking place tomorrow.

Back in 1977, it is estimated that around 10 million people attended street parties UK-wide in honour of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee, with a similar number attending such events for the wedding of Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer in the summer of 1981.

Old footage from a BBC Scotland report from that sunny July morning 37 years ago shows deserted thoroughfares in Glasgow as people huddled around their TV sets to watch history unfold, before they then took to tables outside to celebrate together.

Seven years ago, an estimated 5500 street parties requiring road closures were held for the Royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton across Britain - of these, there were 13 applications for Scottish events. In St Andrews - at the University where the couple first met - about 2000 people attended a party on the day and in Edinburgh, hundreds gathered in Festival Square to watch the wedding on a big screen - as they did again in 2013 for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee pageant.

In Kelvingrove Park in 2011, more than 3000 people - mostly in their teens and 20s - gathered for an unofficial street party which went viral on Facebook and led to 21 arrests. Police said later that officers had come under attack by revellers, with one taken to hospital after the party resulted in “completely unacceptable levels of drunkenness”.

This time around, things appear to be more low key.

In England, there has also be a notable fall in street party applications, despite the UK government’s plea for councils to scrap any associated fees. In Kent, nearly 200 applications were made for Prince William’s marriage, but the county council has only received 14 applications for similar events for Prince Harry’s big day. And in Hertfordshire - declared the “street party capital” of the UK for mustering the highest county total of 298 celebrations in 2011 - it is down 83% to 51 street parties this year.

It is the same picture in Wales - around 15 bids for Royal wedding parties have been submitted, compared to more than 200 in 2011.

The downturn in holding such open celebrations may just be a sign of the times, according to Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty Magazine.

He said: “If there were hardly any street parties for William and Catherine in Scotland then it’s unlikely there would be any for Harry and Meghan.

“Looking back, from what I know, I don’t think Scotland was ever particularly into holding street parties anyway and generally speaking, I do wonder if street parties are regarded by some as a bit old-fashioned now.

“Back in 1977, it was still seen as quite a novel thing to do, but I feel that in the 21st century, people want to celebrate in different ways - perhaps holding smaller gatherings with family and friends.

“I would not read anything into it; it’s just a sign of times.”

For those wishing to mark the occasion, there are a host of other events taking place - from afternoon tea at Balmoral to dinner on the Royal Yacht Britannia.

Fairmont St Andrews Hotel is inviting guests to celebrate by enjoying finger sandwiches, canapes and afternoon treats during a live screening of the wedding, along with a variety of wedding cakes, including the centrepiece - an oversized lemon elderflower wedding cake, just like the Royal couple’s. Guests can take away a mini version in a branded box as a memento.

On the Royal yacht, docked at Ocean Terminal in Leith, a special menu has been served all week featuring the Royal couple’s favourite dishes - such as roast chicken sandwiches, which was the dinner they had as Prince Harry proposed, and also a lemon and elderflower cake.

And at Balmoral Castle - the Royal’s Scottish holiday home in Aberdeenshire - guests are invited to dress for the occasion and celebrate the big day with afternoon tea in the apt abode, while in Aberdeen, the City Licensing Board has granted an extra hour of drinking in all its licensed premises, with the exception of casinos in “recognition of the interest there will be in the Royal wedding”.

For many, it is a day they will mark in their own way. A poll by Ipsos Mori last week revealed six in 10 people intended to participate in some manner, either by watching TV or recording the event, but less than one in 10 are having a party with family and friends.

Hannah Jack, of Troon, South Ayrshire, is one of those holding a party at home for friends, complete with bunting and fairy cakes iced in red, white and blue.

She said: “I just thought it was a fun thing to do for my friends and I while the children play together. We can always look back and remember we watched it together”.