Sovereign Declaration
Constitutional and Historical Position of the Scottish Crown
Your Majesties, Your Excellencies,
I transmit this Sovereign Communication in my capacity as the claimant to the ancient Crown of Scotland and as the representative of the constitutional and dynastic position set forth herein.
This communication is issued not as a request for the creation or recognition of a legal status by any external authority, but as a formal declaration of the historical, constitutional, and legal position of the Scottish Crown, supported by the legal and constitutional principles upon which this Proclamation is based.
The Kingdom of Scotland possesses an ancient and continuous constitutional identity extending through centuries of recognised statehood, law, institutions, and national tradition.
The Treaty of Union of 1707 was concluded between the two separate and sovereign Kingdoms of Scotland and England. At the time of the Union, each Kingdom possessed its own Crown, Parliament, legal system, historical institutions, and distinct constitutional identity. The personal union of the Crowns beginning in 1603 did not extinguish the separate sovereignty of either Kingdom prior to the parliamentary Union of 1707.
The constitutional interpretation advanced by the Scottish Crown is that the legitimacy of any political union rests upon the continuing consent, constitutional protection, and fundamental rights of the peoples forming that union.
The subsequent constitutional development of the United Kingdom, including the withdrawal of Scotland from the European Union following the 2016 referendum process, has created a profound constitutional question. Scotland voted by a clear majority to remain within the European Union, yet the resulting withdrawal applied to Scotland as part of the wider United Kingdom constitutional settlement.
The Scottish Crown therefore maintains that this development represents a fundamental constitutional grievance concerning the protection of the democratic will of the Scottish people and the continuing legitimacy of the constitutional arrangements established in 1707.
The constitutional traditions of Scotland have long recognised principles of limited government, lawful monarchy, and the relationship between Crown and people.
The Declaration of Arbroath of 1320 represents one of the most significant historical expressions of Scottish constitutional identity, particularly regarding national liberty and the relationship between the people and the Crown. Likewise, the Claim of Right of 1689 remains a fundamental historical constitutional instrument affirming that the exercise of royal authority is subject to constitutional principles and the rule of law. These historic constitutional foundations form part of the legal and historical basis upon which this Proclamation is founded.
Separately, the dynastic claim of the Scottish Crown rests upon the asserted continuity of the Royal House of Stuart through legitimate hereditary succession, supported by genealogical research and additional historical and scientific evidence. The question of dynastic succession is considered according to the principles of hereditary law, historical legitimacy, and the traditions governing royal houses.
Accordingly, I formally declare and assert that, according to the constitutional principles, historical continuity, and dynastic law upon which this Proclamation is based, my claim to the Crown of Scotland represents the lawful continuation of the Scottish royal tradition. This declaration does not seek to diminish the sovereignty or legal independence of any other State. Rather, it places before the international community the constitutional position of the Scottish Crown and invites consideration of the historical, legal, and diplomatic questions arising from that position.
International recognition is a sovereign act exercised by each State according to its own constitutional procedures, foreign policy considerations, and interpretation of international law. Recognition does not create historical legitimacy, nor does the absence of recognition alone determine the validity of a historical or dynastic claim.
The legal and constitutional principles underlying this Proclamation address:
- The constitutional history of Scotland;
- The nature and consequences of the Treaty of Union 1707;
- The principles of Scottish constitutional tradition;
- The historical role of the Scottish Crown;
- Dynastic succession principles;
- Relevant international legal considerations.
In accordance with the principle of sovereign equality among nations and the peaceful conduct of international relations, I hereby formally communicate the following:
- The Scottish Crown's constitutional position that the Kingdom of Scotland possesses a continuing historical and constitutional identity deserving of consideration under principles of constitutional law, international practice, and historical continuity.
- My formal assertion, as HM Bruce II, of my dynastic and constitutional claim to the Crown of Scotland.
I respectfully invite Governments and institutions receiving this communication to consider the historical, constitutional, and legal questions presented with the seriousness appropriate to matters concerning constitutional continuity and the heritage of nations.
The preservation of constitutional memory, lawful governance, and historical continuity remains a duty owed to future generations.
Issued under the authority of the Scottish Crown.
Bruce II R
King of Scots
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