Salmond family proud of ‘him and everything he did’

Ms Hendry said his family were “doing OK” and “doing what uncle Alex would tell us to do and just keeping going”.

She said there had been a lot to plan between bringing his body home and arranging both the funeral – which took place on 29 October in Aberdeenshire – and this weekend’s memorial service.

“I’m not sure there’s really been time to fully process things and fully grieve but as a family we’re sticking together, keeping close and keeping going,” she said.

“I think for anybody and for any family losing a loved one is really, really hard. It’s been especially difficult because of where he died but also how high-profile he was and I think that’s come with challenges.

“There’s no escape. It’s also in the media a lot and I’m not sure that’s allowed time to actually process things ourselves as a family,” she added.

Ms Hendry said there have also been positives in the past weeks, with the family receiving many messages about her uncle. She travelled to Holyrood just after his death to view the book of condolence and tributes left by the public.

“It has given us a chance to think back on everything he did and just how, I think, how proud we are of him and everything he did,” she said.