Scotland Independence: What It Means For Queen Elizabeth, British Royal Family

Scotland is just one week away from a historic referendum to decide whether it will remain part of the United Kingdom or regain its independence. With Scotland's sovereignty at issue, the future of the British royal family also is now being called into question. What does Scotland's potential secession mean for the monarchy?

Scotland may be seeking an official separation from the UK, but Queen Elizabeth II, 88, would remain the monarch of Scotland if the vote favors independence, similar to her role in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and several other Commonwealth nations, according to BBC News. Despite the 411-year-old Union of the Crowns, which would allow her to retain the title of Her Majesty the Queen of Scots, Voice of Russia UK reports her role could one day be reduced to one with no constitutional power because of Scots' “less favorable” view of the monarchy. A recent poll conducted by YouGov found that 46 percent of those who support the independence campaign also want Scotland to break its ties to the royal family.

How does the queen feel about the potential separation? She has made no comment about the referendum publicly, citing the sovereign’s constitutional impartiality as the cause. “Any suggestion that the queen would wish to influence the outcome of the current referendum campaign is categorically wrong,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement. "Her Majesty is firmly of the view that this is a matter for the people of Scotland." Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond, however, recently said he believed Elizabeth “will be proud” to become the reigning monarch of an independent Scotland.

No matter the outcome of the vote, one thing is for certain, Queen Elizabeth will always be a fan of Scotland. Her summer home, Balmoral Castle, resides in Aberdeenshire. The queen is currently on her annual summer vacation at the Scottish locale. It is unknown if her husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, is accompanying her.