A portrait of King Charles III could be hung in every school and nursery across Scotland under plans reportedly drawn up by the UK Government.
Under the £8 million proposal, Scottish ministers have been asked to draw up an extensive list of public buildings that could receive a portrait of the monarch.
The initiative has been set out by Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, who is believed to have asked for names and addresses of council buildings, prisons, courts, police stations and education institutions that could receive the portraits.
But the plans have sparked a furious reaction from critics, with the move likened to North Korea, where portraits of Kim Jong Un are hung in all schools.
Scottish Government culture minister Christina McKelvie told the Daily Record: “In the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, we do not believe portraits of His Majesty are an appropriate use of civil service time or of public funds.”
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The suggestion is not the first time mandatory patriotism in schools has caused a row:
Nicola Sturgeon criticises 'ludicrous' One Britain One Nation Day
One Britain One Nation: What is OBON Day and what does it mean for Scotland?
Mr Dowden has reportedly said the portraits will represent a “visible reminder in buildings up and down the country of the nation’s ultimate public servant”.
A UK Government spokesperson said: “It is right that public authorities, as part of the fabric of our nation, have the opportunity, should they wish, to commemorate the accession of His Majesty The King and reflect the new era in our history.”
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