The blue and white colors of the Scottish flag flew at half mast over the village’s main street on Friday. “She was a wonderful person for this area. And I think she will be sadly missed,” said John Sinclair, one of the owners of Sheridan Butchers. The village is adorned with royal seals, a mark of recognition for companies that have provided services or done business with the Royal Family, whose connection to the area stretches back to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
A view of a flag flying at half-mast at Balmoral Castle on Friday, following the death of Queen Elizabeth in Balmoral, Scotland. The Queen has had close ties to Scotland and without her, the issue of independence may resurface. (Russell Cheyne/Reuters) There is a seal above Sinclair’s shop. another at the pharmacy across the street. “The buzz of the royal family being in town and the business it creates. I don’t know if that will be seen again,” Sinclair told CBC News. “I actually placed an order for the royal family yesterday and I was sad to place the order as I’m thinking to myself, well, this might be the last royal order we do in the store. You know, you never know.” Sheridan’s Butchers, on the high street in Ballater, Scotland, is one of the village’s many shops with a royal warrant. (Lily Martin/CBC) While there is no indication that other members of the royal family, including King Charles, plan to curtail their visits to Balmoral, the Queen’s presence in the area has been a constant for decades. And without her, some wonder whether issues of Scottish independence will resurface.

“Queen of Scots”

The Queen famously once posed at Balmoral wearing a robe emblazoned with the insignia of the Order of the Thistle, Scotland’s national flower. She, Prince Philip and their children also spent several weeks each summer at the sprawling estate in the Scottish Highlands – and Sinclair said the family often bought their picnic sausages from him. “We used to make specialist sausages for their barbecues and I know the Duke cooked them himself. The Queen would do the washing up after that. It was just a family day away from the castle. I think they really enjoyed it.” John Sinclair, co-owner of Sheridans Butcher shop in Ballater, Scotland. (Lily Martin/CBC) Since Thursday, Ballater has become the hub for those wanting to visit Balmoral and pay their respects.
The county of Aberdeenshire runs buses from the village to the castle carrying thousands of people, most arriving at the castle gates with flowers.
“It’s a little surreal really. You know, like it actually happened?” said Gillian Engles, who is from Ballater. “We have lost the most elegant lady we could hope for.” An official portrait of Queen Elizabeth wearing the robes of the Sovereign Order of the Thistle, photographed near Balmoral. (Photo by Julian Calder) But the Scots’ relationship with the royal family is not without complications. Many who support independence from the United Kingdom want to end the relationship with the monarchy as well, while other Scottish nationalists support the Royalists. This difference of opinion was evident in the British Parliament, Westminster, where one of the most emotional tributes came from Scottish Nationalist MP Ian Blackford, who called her “Queen Elizabeth of Scots”. “People across the length and breadth of Scotland have their own stories of their one-on-one encounters with the Queen, because she was a monarch who reigned with compassion and integrity and forged a deep connection with the public. And the affection the Queen had for Scotland and Scotland had for the Queen cannot be underestimated,” he told parliament. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip with their children Charles, Anne and baby Andrew pose in the grounds of Balmoral Castle on September 9, 1960. (AFP via Getty Images)

The issue of independence

Scotland’s love of Her Majesty’s realm, however, has been the subject of more debate – and this summer Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon launched her campaign for a second independence referendum, arguing that Scotland would be better off outside the UK In 2014, Scotland rejected independence in a referendum, with 55 percent voting no. The Queen then stood back uncharacteristically, saying she hoped voters would “think very carefully about the future”. This year, leading up to the Queen’s record 70th year on the throne, a poll of attitudes to the monarchy found 36 per cent believed her death should be the signal for Scotland to become a democracy. Charles, who is also an avid lover of Scotland and its outdoor activities, is less popular than his mother and some fear he may eventually weaken Scotland’s commitment to the union. Susan Forrester was among those laying flowers at Balmoral and played down suggestions her death would help the independence movement. Flowers in memory of Queen Elizabeth are left outside a gate at Balmoral Castle. (Chris Brown/CBC) “I think there will always be some who weren’t [admirers] but the majority were,” he told CBC News. “Hopefully there won’t be too many changes,” said Sinclair, the butcher. “I hope the monarchy stays the same as it is and I hope they continue to visit Scotland.” WATCHES | Watch Elizabeth go from princess to queen:

Watch Elizabeth go from princess to queen

See the queen as a playful child, who later became a wife, mother and monarch. The Queen’s death in Scotland means there will likely be many extra steps in the complicated funeral arrangements, which are still being made. Scottish newspapers say her coffin will be flown to Edinburgh and a formal procession will take place at the city’s historic St Giles Cathedral. Her body is then expected to lie in state for 24 hours before being flown south to London.