The Queen would remain head of state in an independent Scotland, the SNP Westminster leader has confirmed.

Speaking to the PA news agency, Ian Blackford rejected claims an independent Scotland could have a referendum on whether to retain the monarchy.

SNP policy ahead of the 2014 referendum on independence was to retain the Queen as head of state if Scotland declared independence, although since then many individual members have called for the issue to be decided by a vote in the future.

In 2020, SNP MP for Glasgow North Patrick Grady did not rule out axing the Queen as Scotland’s sovereign during a talk at King’s College London, as he claimed “it would be for the people of Scotland to decide this eventually”.

I think it has been a challenging time for the Queen, hasn’t it?

When asked about the prospect of a plebiscite, Mr Blackford said: “The Queen will remain head of state in an independent Scotland.”

The MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber also refused to say whether Andrew should be stripped of his Duke of York title as a result of the settlement of his legal battle with Virginia Giuffre.

He said: “I think it has been a challenging time for the Queen, hasn’t it?

“I don’t want to get into issues of individuals within the royal family. I think all of us have got to be responsible for our own obligations and responsibilities.”