Northern Ireland MLAs from across political spectrum present at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II

In line with the new détente between Sinn Fein and the Royal Family, the party had two representatives at the funeral in Westminster Abbey.

Only one of those, the first minister in waiting Michelle O’Neill, was officially there to represent the party, with Alex Maskey present as speaker of the Assembly – a politically neutral role which he did not expect to hold for so long, having retired as an MLA at May’s election, but remaining in post because the DUP has blocked the appointment of a new speaker.

Nevertheless, the presence of the veteran republican, one interned by her late Majesty’s armed forces in a prison where he was held at Her Majesty’s pleasure, would until just a few years ago have been unthinkable.

The Order of Service mistakenly referred to the ‘deputy first minister of Northern Ireland’, even though there has been no deputy first minister since the DUP collapsed Stormont in February.

Alongside the two republicans was a less surprising cast of senior Northern Ireland politicians. Alliance leader Naomi Long, who had been to see the Queen’s lying in state last week, was there along with SDLP leader Colum Eastwood – whose party was once attacked by Sinn Fein for attending such events.

Mr Eastwood yesterday said: “The Queen stretched herself for our peace process. It’s important we do the same to show respect to her and all for whom she held a special place in their hearts.”

The two unionist representatives – DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and UUP leader Doug Beattie – have far closer ties to the Queen. As a privy counsellor, Sir Jeffrey was part of the body made up of senior politicians and others which officially advises the Queen and as such he was present for the Accession Council at which King Charles took his oaths.

Mr Beattie was awarded the Military Cross, one of the highest awards for bravery, for his conduct fighting in Afghanistan during the Queen’s reign.

The six Northern Ireland politicians sat together in a prominent section of the abbey, just behind the SNP’s Nicola Sturgeon, Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.

The Republic was represented by Irish President Michael D Higgins and his wife, along with Taoiseach Micheal Martin, both of whom last week attended the memorial service in Belfast’s St Anne’s Cathedral.

Among other Northern Irish guests at the funeral was Orange Order Grand Secretary Rev Mervyn Gibson and Patricia Donnelly, who headed up the Covid vaccination programme.

There were also four clerics from Northern Ireland – Catholic Primate Eamon Martin, Church of Ireland Primate John McDowell, Presbyterian Moderator Rev John Kirkpatrick and Methodist President Rev David Nixon, although none of them took part in the service.

However, one of the clerics listed on the order of service as being in attendance was not sitting with the other church leaders.

It was unclear whether Rev Ian Brown, lead minister at Martyrs Memorial Free Presbyterian Church, founded by the late DUP leader Ian Paisley, had come to the service as expected.

Irishman Fergal Keane, one of the BBC’s most respected foreign correspondents, commentated on the service, noting for television viewers the significance of the Queen’s role in reconciling, “particularly in Northern Ireland, where her presence, her influence helped bring about a negotiated peace”.

He reminded viewers that the Queen had attended the abbey for her wedding in 1947, her coronation in 1953 and for royal weddings and funerals, “all, as with her own funeral today, part of the recurring seasons of death and renewal”.