King Charles should have had a "full blown coronation in Scone" rather than the "artificial and second rate" event planned for Wednesday, former first minister Alex Salmond has claimed.
The Alba party leader said he had turned down an invitation to attend the special ceremony of thanksgiving in Edinburgh.
The King and Queen will be presented with the Honours of Scotland – the nation’s crown jewels – at a special service in St Giles Cathedral.
While there will be aspects of Scottish royal tradition, the ceremony will also include new music written for the occasion, and both a Royal Procession and a People’s Procession along the Royal Mile.
The Stone of Destiny will also play a part.
READ MORE: Greens to snubs King for Scots coronation republican rally
Mr Salmond said he believes Charles will be the “last King of Scots”, and he described the ceremony as “entirely wrong headed”.
He said: “It will end up satisfying no-one and it has sketchy historical legitimacy.
“A real Scottish monarchist should have advised Charles III to have a full blown coronation in Scone, as his namesake Charles II did in 1651.
“It is no small thing to be crowned King of Scots and it should be treated as such, not palmed off in some artificial and second rate ceremony.
“Charles could have been the first Scottish King crowned using the Stone of Destiny since the 13th century and that historical authenticity would have counted for a great deal and more than compensated for a minimum of flummery and expenditure.
“Of course Scots Kings were expected to take an oath of allegiance to the people, not vice versa.
“I fear Charles is being poorly advised by a group of courtiers who have a great love of pomp and no understanding of circumstance.”
READ MORE: Order of Service for King Charles' dedication in Edinburgh
First Minister Humza Yousaf is due to read Psalm 19 at the service, however, the two green ministers from the SNP-Green government have also snubbed the ceremony.
Lorna Slater and Patrick Harvie have both declined formal invitations to attend the event.
Mr Harvie will take part in a republican rally outside Holyrood.
The Scottish Tories claimed the two MSPs were indulging in "student politics."
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