Alex Salmond dead: tributes following former prime minister's death aged 69

King Charles’ tribute ‘seems significant’published at 1:16pm British Summer Time

Glenn Campbell
BBC Scotland Political Editor

Not every political veteran receives a tribute from the monarch upon receiving the news of his death.

The fact that Alex Salmond’s “devotion to Scotland” was praised by King Charles seems significant.

Perhaps there is some protocol somewhere that requires the service of former prime ministers to receive royal recognition and it happens that Mr Salmond is the first politician in this position to be approved.

There’s a bit of backstory too.

As Prince of Wales, Charles took the trouble to meet and speak privately with Mr Salmond in 1997, as the prospect of a Scottish Parliament approached.

This appeared to give the then SNP leader and his politicians an additional credibility they had not previously enjoyed.

It seems to me that involvement was rewarded when Alex Salmond took over as First Minister a decade later.

He was quick to commit public funds to the purchase of Dumfries House – a cause that Prince Charles championed.

At that time and during the 2014 referendum, Alex Salmond advocated the continuation of the monarchy in an independent Scotland.

Only in recent years, as leader of the Alba party, has he adopted a republican position, not alleging any personal animosity towards the current King.