Call to recognise Napoleon's nephew as Gaelic studies 'pioneer'

In Inverness, Louis Lucien sought Gaelic translations of Biblical texts and later attended a sermon given by a Rev Archibald Clark in Kilmallie.

Prof O Maolalaigh said: "He was clearly interested in the sounds and acquiring some sort of fluency in the language.

"He was a pioneer in putting emphasis on fieldwork and actually speaking to native speakers, and not just relying on the written word. He was ahead of his time.

"I think that does deserve to be recorded in history."

The prince's fluency in Gaelic is not known, with some accounts claiming he was very fluent.

"I think the truth is somewhere in the middle," said Prof O Maolalaigh.