Britain’s Queen Elizabeth meets Scottish leader Sturgeon amid new independence vote push

The monarch met Nicola Sturgeon at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh a day after Scotland’s First Minister announced plans for a 2023 referendum

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has vowed to ‘respond properly’ to Sturgeon’s move

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Britain’s Queen Elizabeth (left) receives First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon during an audience at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh on Wednesday. Photo: AP

Published: 11:52pm, 29 Jun 2022Updated: 12:17am, 30 Jun 2022

Queen Elizabeth on Wednesday met Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, the day after the politician put her government on collision course with London by announcing plans to hold another independence referendum.

The monarch, 96, met Sturgeon at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, but no details of their conversation were released.

She is in Scotland for the annual “Holyrood week”, when she and other members of the royal family traditionally carry out a number of engagements in the country.

The queen has massively scaled back public engagements since a bout of ill health in October left her with mobility issues, and was not expected to make the long journey north from Windsor Castle.

But she has recently appeared in better health, and did not use a walking stick when meeting Sturgeon, according to video footage.

Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon (right) presenting Queen Elizabeth with a bottle of top-end Johnnie Walker Blue Label whisky. Photo: AFP

The clip also showed Sturgeon presenting the monarch with a £150 (US$181) bottle of top-end Johnnie Walker Blue Label whisky.