The last monarch of the independent Kingdom of Scotland was Queen Anne, whose reign as Scottish monarch concluded in 1707 with the formation of the Kingdom of Great Britain.
The End of an Independent Monarchy
Prior to 1707, the Kingdom of Scotland had a long and distinct history of monarchy. However, a significant shift occurred in 1603 with the Union of the Crowns, when James VI of Scotland inherited the English throne, becoming James I of England. From this point, both kingdoms shared a monarch, but remained separate political entities with their own parliaments and laws.
The definitive end of the separate Scottish monarchy came with the Acts of Union 1707. These legislative acts formally merged the Kingdom of Scotland with the Kingdom of England, creating a new sovereign state known as the Kingdom of Great Britain. Consequently, Queen Anne, who was the reigning monarch at the time, became the last monarch of the distinct Kingdom of Scotland and, simultaneously, the first monarch of the new Kingdom of Great Britain.
Key Details of the Transition
| Monarch | Reign (as Scottish Monarch) | Key Event | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Queen Anne | 1702 – 1707 | Acts of Union 1707 | Last monarch of the Kingdom of Scotland; First monarch of Great Britain |
Understanding the Union of 1707
The Acts of Union were a pivotal moment in British history. They involved the Scottish Parliament and the English Parliament passing separate Acts of Union that effectively dissolved both parliaments and established a new Parliament of Great Britain. This political integration meant that while the institution of monarchy continued, the crown was no longer specifically the "Crown of Scotland" in a separate, sovereign sense.
- Shared Monarchy (1603-1707): From James VI/I onwards, Scottish and English monarchs were the same person, but governed two distinct kingdoms.
- Political Union (1707): The Acts of Union brought the two kingdoms under a single parliamentary and monarchical system, forming Great Britain. This meant the Scottish throne, as a separate entity, ceased to exist.
- Legacy: Queen Anne's successors continued to reign over Great Britain, and later the United Kingdom, embodying a unified monarchy rather than distinct Scottish and English ones.
Therefore, while the lineage of monarchs continued, the "last monarch of Scotland" refers specifically to the final sovereign ruler of the independent Kingdom of Scotland before its political merger.
