The tributes to the Queen have shown the ties that bind the United Kingdom

Now that she has left this scene of time such sentiments are not as common as some feared — or hoped.

As the kingdom mourned the passing of a much loved monarch we saw people united in grief and gratitude for a life of service not to England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland but to all of us.

While some talk about Scottish independence as if it is inevitable, thousands queued at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh to view the lying-in-state of one who was crowed Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

For all the speculation that an all-Ireland is just around the corner and the Sinn Fein spin, enthusiastically embraced by BBC Northern Ireland, the simple fact remains than tens of thousands of people lined the streets of Royal Hillsbrough and Belfast last week not to welcome a neighbouring head of state or even a co-equal head of state but our head of state, our king.

Every floral tribute laid in memory of Her Majesty the Queen spoke of someone who valued the ties which bind the United Kingdom together.

And there were a lot of them.

Around 30,000 people visited Hillsbrough Castle in a two day period.

The quality of flowers left there was so great that their scent hit anyone long before they reached the railings.

It has received next to no attention in the press but up and down Northern Ireland the loyal orders and band community have arranged local events where people had an opportunity to pay tribute to HM the Queen.

In Dromore in Co Down, for example, around 600 people turned up to something for which there was little more than 48 hours notice.

Northern Ireland voices have been a regular feature on national TV reports on the crowds outside Buckingham Palace.

All this reminded us that people in Northern Ireland haven’t been viewing events in London as something curious across the Irish Sea but something which we are very much part of.

Furthermore, it is fitting that the loyal orders in many cases filled the vacuum to allow local people to pay their own small tribute to the Queen’s life of service.

While some would try to tell us that the events of the Glorious Revolution are no longer relevant, the events of recent days have reminded us that they very much are.

In his address to the King in the Houses of Parliament the Speaker of the House of Commons observed that:

‘In 1988, we celebrated the 300th anniversary of the revolutions of 1688 to 1689.

“It is perhaps very British to celebrate revolutions by presenting an address to Her Majesty; but those revolutions led to our constitutional freedoms, set out the foundation for a stable monarchy, which protects liberty’

In the aftermath of the constitutional vandalism of the Tony Blair years, stressing the difference between parts of the United Kingdom has become fashionable.

However, the passing of our Queen and the succession of Charles III has been a welcome reminder of the valuable ties which bind us together.

Far from weakening the kingdom we have had a much needed reminder of the value of being united and the common history and values which we share.