A PROMINENT Australian national newspaper has compared the First Minister to Ebenezer Scrooge after she said the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had been warned about travelling to Scotland amidst Covid-19 restrictions.

A row erupted yesterday after the royals decided to come to Scotland despite warnings from the Scottish Government about the strict rules over crossing the Border.

The First Minister on Monday 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 refused to endorse the visit amidst a row that it broke Covid rules and 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”.

Welsh Health Minister Vaughan Gething criticised William and Kate's decision to travel to Wales as Covid cases rise, saying he would prefer it if “no-one was having unnecessary visits”

Mr Gething said he was not “particularly bothered or interested” when asked during by BBC Radio 4’s Today programme if he thought the couple should still travel to Wales.

But he said William and Kate’s visit, part of a national tour by royal train, should not be used by people as an “excuse” to say they are “confused” about coronavirus regulations.

READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon says Royal household reminded of travel ban before William and Kate visit

The Australian, the only daily newspaper distributed nationally, whose editorial line has been described as centre-right, had a different interpretation of the events in reporting the row, describing the royals "hearty dispensation of goodwill was interrupted by a bah-humbug" from Nicola Sturgeon.

It went on: "In tones rivalling those of Ebenezer Scrooge in a Christmas Carol, Ms Sturgeon curtly reminded Prince William and Kate there were currently restrictions in place to try and control the spread of coronavirus, restricting travel in Scotland except for work purposes."

Crossing the Scottish border was made illegal from the end of November and anyone caught entering or leaving Scotland without a reasonable excuse could be slapped with a £60 fine.

The Herald:

There are exceptions, including travel for work or to provide voluntary or charitable services, but only when this cannot be done from home.

Royal sources said the trip was permitted under the work purposes exemption.

The Royals arrived in Edinburgh on Monday morning to the sound of bagpipes serenading them with Christmas songs, before meeting workers at a Scottish Ambulance Service hub.

The pair are attempting to spread festive cheer to frontline workers ahead of the Christmas holidays on their 48-hour train tour. The tour is also designed to showcase the UK's arts, heritage and live performance sector, which has been supported throughout the pandemic by the Government's £1.57billion Culture Recovery Fund.

But the First Minister did not extend a welcome message to the couple during her daily briefing saying the government had made it clear to the royals that there was a travel 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.”

Devi Sridhar, the US-born professor and chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh, and a senior adviser to the First Minister tweeted: “Love it here but some things I will never understand about Britain. Aren’t we all in a pandemic and living under travel restrictions?”

Haematologist Dr Katrina Farrell 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.”

The Australian, published by News Corp Australia reported that there were "no signs of police slapping the couple with a £60 fine each for crossing the border without a reasonable excuse."

Ms Sturgeon's response also drew criticism from Scots Conservative MPs.

Mr Gething in echoing echoed the sentiment of Nicola Sturgeon said: “I’d rather that no-one was having unnecessary visits, and people always have divisive views about the monarchy, but their visit isn’t an excuse for people to say that they are confused about what they are being asked to do.”

When asked if they should still come, Mr Gething said: “I’m not particularly bothered or interested because I don’t think that is going to be an excuse for people to say: ‘I should go and behave in a different way and I should act as if the harm that is being seen in front of us in every part of our healthcare system is not taking place.'”