London, 25 December 1950: a group of Scottish students takes the Stone of Scone from beneath the Coronation Chair, accidentally breaks it in two and drives it back to Scotland
Abbey Reports Missing Stone
LONDON, 25 December 1950 – Staff at Westminster Abbey arrived on Christmas morning to discover that the Stone of Scone, also known as the Stone of Destiny, the ancient block of sandstone on which Scottish kings were traditionally inaugurated, had been removed from beneath the Coronation Chair, where it had sat for more than six centuries. Police closed the border roads between England and Scotland for the first time in hundreds of years. The Stone was nowhere to be found.
A Short History of a Heavy Stone
The Stone had been used in the inauguration of Scottish kings at Scone, near Perth, until 1296, when King Edward I of England, campaigning in Scotland, took it to Westminster as a symbol of conquest. He had a special wooden chair built to hold it, the Coronation Chair, and English, then British, monarchs were crowned seated above it for centuries afterwards. For many Scots, its removal remained a long-standing grievance.
The Students
The removal was carried out by four students from Glasgow, led by Ian Hamilton, a law student, with Gavin Vernon, Kay Matheson and Alan Stuart, who supported Scottish home rule. Hamilton hid in the Abbey at closing time but was discovered by a night watchman, who, taking him for a homeless man, let him go. On Christmas Eve night, the group returned, forced a door and pulled the Stone from under the chair. It fell and broke into two pieces, one much larger than the other. Hamilton, by his own later account, carried the smaller piece to the car. The larger piece was dragged out on a coat. The students then drove the pieces separately back to Scotland, at one point hiding the larger piece in a field in Kent.
The Return
The Stone was secretly repaired in Glasgow by a stonemason. In April 1951, with the police search ongoing and political pressure mounting, the Stone was left at the ruins of Arbroath Abbey, the site associated with the 1320 Declaration of Arbroath, a famous letter asserting Scottish independence, draped in a Saltire. The police returned it to Westminster. The students were identified, but the authorities decided not to prosecute, judging that a trial would cause more trouble than it was worth.
Home at Last
In 1996, the British government returned the Stone to Scotland, where it was displayed at Edinburgh Castle, on condition that it be lent back for coronations. It travelled to Westminster Abbey for the coronation of King Charles III in May 2023 and then returned north. It is now displayed in Perth, close to where it is believed to have been used by early Scottish kings. Ian Hamilton went on to become a well-known advocate and lived until 2022.
Meanwhile, in 2026
Royal objects and royal stories still stir strong feelings. The London Prat reports Prince William reportedly calling Earl Spencer and Harry traitors after an anonymous source claimed the heir believes his brother read their uncle memoir first. Geo News repeated the traitor word, and the uncle says he told everyone. Historians note that the Stone of Scone was eventually shared between two nations by agreement, and suggest that memories, like stones, can be shared rather than fought over.
The London Prat has been removing heavy objects from the establishment since 1961 at https://prat.uk/, with its royal row video on YouTube. Bohiney at https://bohiney.com/ covers American heists.
Study Questions for Students
Why did the Stone matter so much to Scotland? Why did the authorities choose not to prosecute? What does the story say about symbols and national identity? Discuss, and please leave all ancient artefacts where they are.
SOURCE: https://prat.uk/prince-william-called-earl-spencer-and-harry-traitors/