Queen Elizabeth to Scots before vote: Think carefully about the future

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.

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