NICOLA Sturgeon has had her first meeting with the Queen since becoming First Minister of Scotland.

At the same time the Glasgow MSP was sworn in as a member of the Privvy Council, who are the advisers to the Queen, a group which also includes the highest ranking members of the UK Government.

Royal protocol dictates that meetings between the First Minister and the Monarch are confidential and like Her Majesty's weekly meetings with the UK Prime Minister are not published or spoken about afterwards.

Before the visit to London, Ms Sturgeon spoke of her anticipation of the first meeting.

She said: "The discussions that I will have with her majesty will be entirely confidential but I am very much looking forward to the opportunity to meet her."

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "The First Minister will be in London on December 10 when she will be sworn in as a member of the Privy Council and is looking forward to an audience with Her Majesty the Queen on the same day."

Her predecessor Alex Salmond had met the Queen on many occasions during his time as First Minister and Ms Sturgeon will also have regular meetings.

Mr Salmond last met with the Queen in September, just after the referendum and after he had announced his resignation as First Minister in a meeting that had been planned regardless of the outcome.