NICOLA Sturgeon has confirmed the Royal household was warned about the cross-border Covid travel ban before Prince William and Kate arrived in Scotland today.
The First Minister said the Scottish Government knew the couple wanted to come by Royal Train as part of a nationwide tour thanking workers on the coronavirus frontline.
She said the Government “made sure” the Royals were aware “of the restrictions in place in Scotland so that could inform both the decision and the planning of the visit”.
The Royal couple, known as the Earl and Countess of Strathearn in Scotland, disembarked at Edinburgh Waverley’s station this morning.
On the first stop of 1,250-mile trip around Scotland, England and Wales, they met paramedics and workers from the Scottish Ambulance Service in Newbridge.
It prompted questions about whether the pair had broken lockdown rules.
It is an offence to travel between Scotland and England for non-essential purposes, and an offence to travel between level three or level four local authorities. Edinburgh is level three.
However there is an exemption for people who “travel for work, or provide voluntary or charitable services”, but only where that cannot be done from the home.
Edinburgh University Professor Devi Sridhar, who advises the Scottish Government on Covid, tweeted in response to news coverage of the trip: “Some things I will never understand about Britain. Aren’t we all in a pandemic & living under travel restrictions?”
Dr Katrian Farrell, a haemotologist at NHS Forth Valley, tweeted: “I absolutely do not understand why the #RoyalTrainTour is being allowed in Edinburgh. Edinburgh is in tier 3. No non essential travel into or out of region.
“Would @scotgov or @policescotland care to comment?”
At the daily briefing, the First Minister was asked for clarity on whether the trip had been in breach of the cross-border ban.
She said: “The Royal visit is a matter for the Royal household and the arrangements around it, and any questions about those arrangements, should be directed to the Royal household.
“The Scottish Government was advised about the intention to visit, and we made sure that the Royal Household were aware, as you would expect, of the restrictions in place in Scotland so that could inform both the decision and the planning of the visit.
“Any more questions on that should be directed to the Royal household.”
Earlier this year, the Earl of Strathearn’s father, Prince Charles, the Duke of Rothesay, was also involved in a Covid row after travelling to Scotland with the virus.
He tested positive after arriving at his Highland home at Birkhall in March.
Tory MSP Murdo Fraser said: “It seems very petty to be criticising the Royal Family for wanting to thank Scottish NHS staff for their heroic efforts.
“Given that the First Minister had earlier visited NHS staff, presumably after travelling from her home to work too, it seems a bit odd that she didn’t back this trip and make it clear that it was within the rules.
“Rather than thanking William and Kate for the work they are doing to raise morale at these difficult times, the First Minister seems to be afraid of angering the republicans in her party, so she pandered to them instead.”
A Royal source said: "Travelling across the border is permitted for work purposes.
"The Duke and Duchess [of Cambridge] travelled to Scotland to carry out their work, thanking frontline workers who have done so much for the country throughout the pandemic.
"The visits were planned in consultation with the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments."
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