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Queen Elizabeth II remains neutral ahead of Scottish independence vote

Queen Elizabeth II smiles as she visits the Glasgow National Hockey Centre to watch the hockey during day one of 20th Commonwealth Games on July 24, 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland. Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images

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.

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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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