Green leader faces backlash after claiming Royal scandals mean Scotland should ditch The Queen

The Scottish Greens have been accused of indulging in “pathetic politics” after claiming allegations of racism within the Royal family showed the monarchy should be scrapped in an independent Scotland.

Patrick Harvie, the party’s co-leader, said “serious questions” had been raised “about the attitudes and values of the Royal family” following the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s interview with Oprah Winfrey.

He claimed that the monarchy would “hold back” an independent Scotland and said the revelations from Harry and Meghan, as well as “other recent scandals”, served as a reminder “that the monarchy itself is an outdated, discredited and totally undemocratic institution."

In the TV interview, Meghan and Prince Harry said a royal had expressed concern over "how dark" their son Archie's skin might be.

Mr Harvie added: “The idea that any family has the right to such status based on hereditary titles and unearned wealth would hold Scotland back, and it’s not one that the Scottish Greens will ever support.

“Their shooting and hunting estates can be put to better use serving the local communities and creating more jobs.”

A spokesman for the Greens said that how Royal estates in Scotland could be taken over would be “a decision for after independence” but that the party’s believed councils should have powers of compulsory purchase for “land not being put to productive use.”

Mr Harvie, a long-serving MSP, is seen as an influential figure in Scotland as the parliamentary arithmetic at Holyrood means the SNP often rely on the Greens, who also back independence, to support them in votes.

The SNP officially backs retaining the monarchy if Scotland was to become independent, although many of its prominent parliamentarians are ardent Republicans.

Murdo Fraser, the Scottish Tory MSP, said the monarchy was “one of our most loved and respected institutions” and accused Mr Harvie of “indulging in the most pathetic type of politics in a shameless bid to pander to republican voters who might be tempted to vote for his party.”

Opinion polls generally show that a majority of Scots support the monarchy, although the institution is less popular than it is in other parts of the UK.

Mr Fraser added: “The vast majority of Scots will recognise this patronising attempt to woo the electorate and see right through the Greens' illogical nonsense. The benefits of having a constitutional monarchy as opposed to an elected politician as head of state are overwhelming.

“Patrick Harvie would be best served by actually focusing on environmental matters for once rather than spending his time obsessing about getting rid of the Royal Family.”