We have a new king. On the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II on 8 September 2022 and his accession to the throne, HRH Prince Charles became King Charles III. In Scotland, he is King of Scots, the title inherited from James VI of Scots when he also became James I of England in 1603.

There has not been a separate "Scottish Royal Family" since the Union of the Crowns in 1603, when James VI of Scotland also became James I of England. In 2026, the British Royal Family serves as the monarchy for all of the United Kingdom, including Scotland. King Charles III is the sovereign of Scotland, and the family continues to maintain their official residence at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh and their private estate at Balmoral in the Highlands. While there are ongoing political movements for Scottish independence that could eventually lead to a change in the monarchy's status, as of early 2026, the King remains the head of state, and the royal family remains a central, though modernizing, part of Scottish institutional life, often seen participating in traditional events like the Royal Highland Show.