Queen Elizabeth to Scots before vote: Think carefully about the future | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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Queen Elizabeth to Scots before vote: Think carefully about the future

FILE - This Aug. 2002 file photo shows Balmoral Castle, near Ballater in the Scottish Highlands. One thing both sides agree on — Queen Elizabeth II will continue to be the Scottish monarch after independence. Scotland and England shared a monarch for a century before they united politically in 1707, and the queen remains head of state in Canada, Australia and several other former British colonies. The queen will keep her Balmoral estate in Scotland, the royal family's traditional summer-vacation destination. (AP Photo/Martin Cleaver, File)

LONDON - Queen Elizabeth II has made her first comments about this week's Scottish independence vote, urging Scots to "think very carefully about the future."

But the popular monarch didn't indicate a preference on how Scots should vote, carefully maintaining the neutrality that is her constitutional obligation.

Still, some may interpret her comments as a suggestion that Scots looking to embrace independence should be cautious about severing Scotland's long ties to the United Kingdom, which date back more than 300 years.

The queen spoke after a Sunday church service near her Balmoral estate in Scotland. She made the comment to a well-wisher in the crowd.

Buckingham Palace recently issued a statement indicating her plan to remain neutral before Thursday's vote.

News from © The Associated Press, 2014
The Associated Press

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