The formal inauguration of the of the French Consulate General and the French Institute was carried out by Princess Anne.
The new diplomatic premises occupy an imposing position in the exclusive heart of the country's capital on the 'Royal Mile,' across the road from St. Giles Cathedral, indicative of Scotland's heavily pro-European sentiment, reflected in its vote of 62 percent to remain in the EU in the 2016 Brexit referendum.
The Auld Alliance lives on! 🇫🇷 Ambassador Jouyet & Consul General Cocher had the honour of welcoming HRH Princess Anne & @ScotGovFM @NicolaSturgeon at the inauguration of the new premises of the French Consulate General & French Institute in Edinburgh today pic.twitter.com/jbp8606euJ
— French Embassy UK (@FranceintheUK) 29 November 2017
Any chance of a French passport? Or better still a commitment for an indy Scotland to stay in EU?
— Shell (@Michex69) November 29, 2017
👍🏴🇫🇷#AuldAlliance
— WBrown🏴 (@Brown666W) November 29, 2017
I spotted this evidence of the Auld Alliance in action last week in Tyndrum petrol station. Made me smile! pic.twitter.com/8lgUnC6HZM
— Jane Beaton (@JaneBeaton) November 29, 2017
Scotland's Nationalist First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon has repeatedly signaled her government's determination to position Scotland as a European-oriented country and maintain as much as possible the economic and cultural links with the continent, going so far as to say that a future independent Scotland would immediately seek readmission to the European Union.
France appears to have bought one of the 'most prominent buildings in Edinburgh' for their consulate https://t.co/YOxmCRmKM3 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/e51G1FUKcS
— Ross Colquhoun (@rosscolquhoun) 1 February 2017
The UK government in Westminster consistently shot down renewed calls for another referendum on independence and ruled out Scotland having any separate status from the rest of Britain, eliminating the possibility of it remaining in the Single Market or the Customs Union.
Scotland, by 62 percent, along with Northern Ireland and London voted overwhelmingly to remain in the European Union during the Brexit referendum in June 2016. The narrow 'Leave' victory initially ignited a furious response in the country whose relations with continental Europe go many several centuries.
France and Scotland first entered into diplomatic relations in AD1294 in what has come to be known as the "Auld Alliance." Scotland wanted a powerful continental ally to support it in its struggles against the expanding English Kingdom which sought to conquer all of Britain. France meanwhile, wanted a way of diverting England's military and political attention as much of modern France was occupied by English troops during the 'Hundred Years War.'
Over the following centuries the alliance became commercial as well as political and military, with Scotland importing luxury products such as French wines and thousands of Scottish men being paid to fight as mercenaries in the armies of France.
