Queen Elizabeth concluded a three-day visit to the North yesterday with increasing expectation that her next trip to Ireland will be to the Republic.
Political sources at Stormont continue to talk up the possibility of a trip to Dublin after completion of the jubilee year.
Royal aides believe her golden jubilee trip to the North, which ended with a final engagement at Hillsborough yesterday, was a political success.
It was noted for the late decision to visit the Omagh bomb scene, her trip to Stormont and address to MLAs, and meetings with victims of the Troubles and their families.
The queen, accompanied by her husband the Duke of Edinburgh, began her final day's engagements at St Anne's Cathedral in central Belfast, where she joined a congregation of 1,000 for an ecumenical service of thanksgiving for her 50 years as monarch.
She was introduced to the leaders of the four main churches, Archbishop Robin Eames; Archbishop Seán Brady; Dr Alistair Dunlop, the Presbyterian Moderator, and the Rev Harold Good, president of the Methodist church. The service was attended by Mr David Trimble and Mr Mark Durkan and by the Northern secretary, Dr John Reid.
A lively crowd of at least 1,000 greeted the queen at the cathedral and there were particularly loud greetings for Mr Nigel Dodds, the local DUP MP.
The queen then travelled to Balmoral in south Belfast, where she attended the Royal Ulster Agricultural Show. There she met show officials and the agriculture minister, Mrs Bríd Rodgers.
In the afternoon the queen and Prince Philip hosted a garden party at Hillsborough Castle in Co Down, their official residence in the North, for some 3,000 invited guests.
She met groups from the public and voluntary sectors as well as victims of violence.
The visit differed in both style and content from previous trips. Security was noticeably discreet throughout the extended visit, and there was a willingness to meet more people on walkabout and at large-scale events.
Sinn Féin members did not attend any of the events, but as Mr Conor Murphy, the Sinn Féin Assembly member for Newry and Armagh, pointed out in advance, republicans would not protest. He said he accepted the queen's position in the eyes of unionists and respected that.