In the olden days, English rulers could order the beheading of recalcitrant Scots. In 2020, Prince William and Kate Middleton, the representatives of Queen Elizabeth II, must wear polite smiles while being dissed by the Scottish leader.

They also must rely on their supporters in Parliament and on social media to scold the leader, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, for being “rude” and “petty.”

The source of this latest conflict in the 2,000-year-old on-off rivalry between England and Scotland centers on William and Kate’s decision to include Scotland in their whistle-stop tour of the United Kingdom to spread holiday cheer to frontline workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to The Daily Mail and The Mirror.

It appears that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had the best of intentions in traveling to Edinburgh, the first stop in a tour that also includes towns in England. They arrived in Edinburgh Monday morning to the sound of bagpipes serenading them with Christmas songs, before meeting workers at a Scottish Ambulance Service hub.

It all sounds very genial, except for the fact that Sturgeon wasn’t happy about the couple’s visit to her country, citing coronavirus lockdown rules. She didn’t extend a welcome to the couple Monday, but instead took a swipe at them during her daily briefing, saying the Scottish Government had made it clear that their planned trip breached travel rules.

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Under current Scottish regulations, it is illegal to travel between England and Scotland unless one has a reasonable excuse, including for work purposes. Royal sources told the Daily Mail that the trip was permitted under the work purposes exemption.

“The Scottish Government was advised about the intention to visit,” Sturgeon said, “and we made sure that the Royal Household were aware, as you would expect, of the restrictions in place in Scotland so that could inform both the decision and the planning of the visit.”

The Scottish government said Sturgeon did not try to stop the royals from coming to Scotland, adding that she simply reiterated the restrictions, the Daily Mail reported. A spokesperson for the government later said: “The First Minister welcomes the support shown by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for Scotland’s NHS.”

Others also raised concerns about the trip, including doctors and public health officials in Scotland.

Professor Devi Sridhar, the chair of Global Public Health at Edinburgh University Medical School, tweeted: “Aren’t we all in a pandemic & living under travel restrictions?”

Katrina Farrell, a hematologist with the National Health Service, also tweeted: “Absolutely do not understand why the #RoyalTrainTour is being allowed in Edinburgh. Edinburgh is in tier 3. No non essential travel into or out of region.

“Would @scotgov or @policescotland care to comment?” Farrell added.

Some social media users agreed that William and Kate could be setting a bad example by traveling during a pandemic:

Other social media users pushed back against the doctors, as well as the Scottish Government, for making a fuss about William and Kate’s visit, saying the couple were doing something beneficial for frontline workers.

“They are doing their job, I assume they will be following every protocol to the letter and for the people that want to see them it might bring a little light,” one person tweeted in response to Sridhar. “To be clear I am neutral on the monarchy, but they are only doing what we pay them to,”

“They are royalty on a moral boosting tour,” tweeted another in response to Farrell. “We quite like a royal visit … provided UK is paying for it.”

Conservative MPs also hit back at Sturgeon’s treatment of William and Kate, who will one day be king and queen of the United Kingdom, which incudes Scotland.

An unnamed MP told the Daily Mail: “This man is the future King of Scotland. She has no right to try to stop him.”

“It is very unsubtle and I think it will backfire on her because there are a lot of loyalist Scots who would be pretty appalled that she would behave in such a rude manner. She should know better.”

Conservative MPs in Scotland also took issue with Sturgeon’s unwelcoming attitude, the Daily Mail reported. Tory MSP Murdo Fraser said in an interview: “It seems very petty to be criticizing the royal family for wanting to thank Scottish NHS staff for their heroic efforts.”