IT will be a day of celebration, with thousands of people enjoying street parties and cucumber sandwiches as the Queen marks 60 years on the throne this June.

However, it appears that while the festivities will be in full swing south of the Border, Scots will not be reaching for the bunting any time soon.

Just three organisations have applied to hold a street party in the country's major cities during the weekend of the Diamond Jubilee, and Scottish councils have reported a largely muted response in the run up.

All three applications have been sent to Edinburgh council, and so far there has only been one "tentative inquiry" made to the local authority in Glasgow.

No-one has thought to trouble councils in Aberdeen and Royal Deeside with plans to close the streets for a shindig. And council offices in Perth and Dundee have remained similarly unbothered.

The lack of fervour for the Diamond Jubilee in Scotland is in stark contrast to the build-up in England, where thousands are counting down the days until they drag their tables and chairs outside for the big day.

Downing Street has gone on record to encourage citizens set up their own street parties, while grants have been made available to help groups celebrate, such is the level of interest.

Royal expert, Professor Tom Devine, of Edinburgh University, said the lack of activity showed that things had changed since the fervour seen during the Queen's coronation in 1953, when many took to the streets to wish their new monarch well.

He said: "The coronation took place at the high point of Unionism, in which the monarchy was a keystone.

"By contrast, 2012 is different: Unionism is in retreat and there is a sense of Scottishness that is becoming much stronger than Britishness.

"The very future of the union is in question. The Queen is still respected but the status of the institution of monarchy has declined."

He added that other factors were also in play, such as a lack of a desire to celebrate events as a community.

Prof Devine said: "On the other hand, a sense of community and neighbourliness is now much weaker due to competitive individualism, materialism, social mobility and family disruption. Our 'private sphere' has increased at the expense of the 'public sphere'. Recent surveys confirm that a substantial minority especially in cities and larger towns do not know who their next door neighbours are."

Professor Neil Blain, head of film, media and journalism at Stirling University, and co-author of the book Media, Monarchy and Power, said Scots are being put off by a monarchy that is increasingly being seen as "English".

He said: "Whereas the older generation of Royals have been careful to appeal to all part of the UK, the younger princes appear increasingly comfortable being described as English.

"Princess Anne has always been a stalwart supporter of the Scottish rugby team, but William and Harry could happily turn up at Twickenham and wave the St George's cross. There is also the danger that the Jubilee has become amalgamated with the Olympics, and is being seen as a primarily London event by the rest of the country."

The street parties in Edinburgh are being held at Silverknowes Southway, Spylaw Park and Pentland Road junction, and by the Melville Lounge pub in William Street, who have organised a party for June 2.

A spokeswoman for the pub said that they have a licence for street party with outside drinking, a band and children's activities. But she said that the decision to hold the al fresco bash was as much down to a desire to bring back business lost due to the disruption caused by the tram works as it was to celebrate the jubilee.

A council-run party has also been organised for Aberdeen in Duthie Park on Sunday, June 3.