The Monarchy

The monarchy of Scotland originates in the 9th century with Kenneth MacAlpin, who united the Picts and Scots to become the first King of Scots, marking the beginning of Scotland’s monarchy as a continuation of the line of the Kings of Picts. This lineage saw various dynasties, such as the House of Alpin, the House of Dunkeld, and the Bruces, with notable monarchs like David I, who expanded Scottish influence, and Robert the Bruce, who secured Scottish independence at Bannockburn in 1314. The Stewart/Stuart dynasty began with Robert II in 1371 and continued until the Acts of Union in 1707, after which Scotland entered into a political union with England, marking the end of Scottish sovereignty and the establishment of the Kingdom of Great Britain. The subsequent monarchs, from the Hanoverians to the Windsors, have been British rulers, with Queen Elizabeth II presiding over a modern constitutional monarchy until her death in 2022. The current monarch, Charles III, reigns in a ceremonial role over a United Kingdom that includes Scotland, continuing a lineage that has evolved from ancient kingship to modern constitutional monarchy.