A family on the throne is an interesting idea. It brings down the pride of sovereignty to the level of petty life.

The unionists also for their part want to minimise the potential for change not only on the equality agenda but on the issues of sovereignty and ending the union.

For the sake of goodness and love man shall let death have no sovereignty over his thoughts.

We have the character of an island nation: independent forthright passionate in defence of our sovereignty. We can no more change this British sensibility than we can drain the English Channel. And because of this sensibility we come to the European Union with a frame of mind that is more practical than emotional.