The dark side of 'fake' Scottish titles: An inside look at the plots of land being gifted to celebs

It wasn’t the biggest takeaway from last month’s Oscars ceremony - we all know what that was - but this year’s nominees had an unusual item in their swag bags.

A plot of Scottish land was ‘given’ to winners and runners-up, including Billie Eilish, Benedict Cumberbatch and Jessica Chastain.

Highland Titles is the company behind the scheme, which claims to bestow small bits of the firm’s estate - plus accompanying titles of lord, lady or laird - on customers. The company paid thousands of euros (up to €22,000) to feature in the ‘Everyone Wins’ gift bag, organised by an LA marketing company.

But is everything as straightforward as it seems?

The publicity bid certainly won the company, which is registered in the Channel Islands, a spot in the limelight. Dozens of headlines reignited a stir in Scotland, where people were quick to point out the claim to owner and lord-ship is meaningless.

"First and foremost, you are not the owner of any land in Scotland despite what this company might have led you to believe," Andy Wightman, a former Green Member of the Scottish Parliament, wrote in an open letter to nominees. “You have also not been given any right to style yourself Lord or Lady of Glencoe. Highland Titles has no authority or power to bestow such a title on you."

Since forming over a decade ago, family-run Highland Titles has changed the wording on its website to better acknowledge this, and described the novelty gift scheme as “harmless fun”. ‘Lords and Ladies of Glencoe’ number over 300,000, according to the site. Minus Academy Award nominated celebs - and some Elden Ring fans - they’ll each have paid at least £30 (€36) for a square foot of land at Duror - around 10 miles south of the famous Glencoe valley - or another estate.

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