Support sought for move to give Prince Charles the Freedom of Aberdeen

Prince Charles in known as the Duke of Rothesay north of the border

Aberdeen's Lord Provost has been trying to gather support to give the freedom of the city to Prince Charles, BBC Scotland has learned.

However, SNP councillors in the city have told Councillor Barney Crockett they would not back the move.

Mr Crockett, who has been Lord Provost since 2017, approached the SNP group last month to ask if they would support a vote to bestow the honour.

Footballer Denis Law was the last person to get the Freedom of Aberdeen.

He received the honour in 2017 in a special ceremony at the Beach Ballroom.

Former Aberdeen and Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and former Soviet premier Mikhail Gorbachev are among the others to have been granted the freedom of the city.

The last member of the Royal Family to be honoured was Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, in 1959.

The Lord Provost did not respond to questions about why he thought the Duke of Rothesay would be deserving of the honour.

Denis Law received the Freedom of Aberdeen from the city's lord provost Barney Crockett in 2017

It is not thought that Prince Charles himself has been approached.

A simple majority of those on the council - which is run by a Conservative/Labour/independent coalition - is required for a motion to discuss the matter.

A two-thirds majority is needed to award the freedom of the city.

SNP group leader Councillor Alex Nicoll said: "I understand that the Lord Provost was trying to gather signatures to award the freedom of the city to Prince Charles, but that is not something the SNP group felt they could support.

"Ultimately, the honour is for those who have done an outstanding service for our city and deserve to have it recognised.

"Denis Law was recently awarded the honour, an Aberdonian who has never forgotten his roots and whose charitable trust has done a power of work for the city."

The Liberal Democrat group leader, Councillor Ian Yuill, said he had not been approached for support, but was aware soundings were taking place.

'Not the right time'

Mr Yuill said: "The Liberal Democrats would in principle support awarding the Freedom of Aberdeen to Prince Charles. We would be happy to discuss this with other councillors."

However, he added: "Now is not the right time though for anyone to be raising or discussing this.

"There are clearly much more urgent things for the council to be dealing with during the coronavirus pandemic."

A spokesperson for the ruling Conservative/Labour/independent administration said: "The administration is not considering bringing forward any freedom of the city nominees for consideration by council.

"Our attention and focus is and remains fully on the delivery of services through the Covid-19 pandemic and its long-term impacts."

A spokesperson for Aberdeen City Council added: "There are currently no plans to bring forward any freedom of the city recipients."