Scottish Tories in call to commission Holyrood portrait of King Charles for Scottish Parliament

The suggestion has been attacked by the Scottish Greens saying there is no justification for ‘squandering’ public cash during the cost-of-living crisis

The Scottish Tories have called on the Scottish Parliament to commission a new portrait of King Charles III for Holyrood.

On Thursday afternoon Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser asked the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what plans it has for an official painting or photograph of the monarch.

Mr Fraser said any new portrait of the king should be displayed alongside the existing portrait of the late queen rather than replacing it.

King Charles III during his coronation at Westminster Abbey. Image: Aaron Chown/Press Association.

Mr Fraser said: “We all know the close ties the royal family have with Scotland, and of course the late Queen sadly passed away at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, so it is only fitting that we have a portrait of King Charles commissioned and put up at the Scottish Parliament.

“I’m sure it will bring delight to thousands of visitors to the parliament.”

Christine Grahame MSP has said the body will consider the call. .

However the Scottish Greens, who have consistently called for the monarchy to be abolished in an independent Scotland, say commissioning such a portrait is a “clear waste of cash”.

Green MSP Ross Greer said: “No amount of photoshop in the world could justify squandering public money on such an irrelevant vanity project.

“This would be a clear waste of cash and send a terrible signal during a cost-of-living crisis.”

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In 2011 the parliament commissioned a photographic portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth II to mark 10 years of devolution - the portrait by Shaun Murawski can still be seen in Holyrood’s main public hall.