Sinn Féin did not attend a special meeting of the Northern Ireland Assembly which was called yesterday as a mark of respect for Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Tributes were paid to her by the Ulster Unionists, the SDLP and the DUP.
The Speaker, Lord Alderdice, called for a minute's silence in her memory.
The First Minister, Mr David Trimble, said that the Queen Mother's death had been felt across the political and religious divide in the North. She had carried out her duties with "grace and lightness of touch", he said, describing the British monarchy as a "non-political expression of national identity".
The Deputy First Minister and SDLP leader, Mr Mark Durkan, described the Queen Mother as "a remarkable woman of great character and sense of duty".
Praising her charity work, he said: "One does not need to be either British or a royalist to recognise the Queen Mother's position in public life and the esteem and affection she was held in in her nation and beyond. I recognise the British royal family has a very special place in the hearts of many people in Northern Ireland and the Queen Mother's death brings a deep sense of loss to them. Others who do not endorse the concept of royalty can nevertheless also appreciate the qualities of someone who loved life and demonstrated a clear strength of spirit."
The DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, called the Queen Mother "the lady of the century". He condemned slogans gloating at her death which had been painted on some walls in Belfast.
Tributes were also paid by the Alliance Party, the Northern Ireland Unionist Party, the United Unionist Assembly Party, the Progressive Unionist Party and the Women's Coalition.