ABSTRACT
The Crown is to most Scotsmen the symbol of an ancient kingdom which had to fight through so many centuries for its very existence. The kings of Scotland bore also the title ‘King of Scots’: they were kings, not merely of the land, but of the people. The Scots have believed that kings under God hold their crown subject to the laws of the realm and the consent of the people and on the condition that they are faithful to their trust. The Church of England is prevented by its theology from allowing a minister from a non-episcopal Church to function jointly in a religious service, and particularly in a service of Holy Communion. The regalia of Scotland-the Crown, the Sceptre, and the Sword of State – are older than the regalia of England, since Oliver Cromwell destroyed the original English regalia but was foiled in his attempt to confer the same benefits on Scotland.
