That split fueled decades of violence known as “The Troubles,” and remains a deep divide. The status of the monarchy has always been fraught in Northern Ireland, where there are two main communities: unionists who consider themselves British and nationalists who see themselves as Irish. Besides spending her summer months at Balmoral, her mother, the late Queen Mother, was Scottish and as a child the queen grew up playing on her grandparents’ estate of Glamis Castle in central Scotland. Giles’ Cathedral, where thousands more are expected to pay their respects over the next day. On Monday, the coffin was carried along Edinburgh’s medieval Royal Mile to St. In a touching display of respect, thousands of people on Sunday lined the 175-mile (280 kilometer) route from Balmoral to Edinburgh as the queen’s coffin was driven in a slow procession to the Scottish capital.

“It was a fitting end to a life of service and a life of concern for the four nations - not simply one nation - of the U.K.,” he said. Scottish historian Tom Devine said because by “extraordinary serendipity” the queen died in Scotland, “it was possible for the world to see the relationship between the queen and this country.” That has served as a reminder of the monarchy’s deep ties to Scotland - and could provide a boost for the union. Some think the reign of King Charles III will see those bonds come unstuck, giving new momentum to Scotland’s push for independence.īut the fact the queen died last week at her beloved Highland retreat, Balmoral Castle, has made Scotland the focus of commemorations watched around the globe in the first days after her death. LONDON (AP) - Queen Elizabeth II has been likened to the invisible glue holding the United Kingdom together.

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