The result - 55 per cent to 45 per cent - was more decisive than pollsters had foreseen and prompted Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond, who led the unsuccessful Yes campaign, to resign.
But it meant almost half of Scotland's more than 5 million people woke up in a country, the United Kingdom, that they wished to leave.
The Queen, who kept out of the political debate, said that "all of us throughout the United Kingdom will respect" the result.
From Balmoral Castle she said "despite the range of views that have been expressed, we have in common an enduring love of Scotland, which is one of the things that helps to unite us all".
Salmond will step down as leader of the Scottish National Party in November and his successor will assume the position of First Minister until the next Scottish parliamentary election in May 2016.
Salmond's deputy, Nicola Sturgeon, looks likely to be the one to pick the party up after the No vote and help drive the promise of further devolution forward.
Salmond has fought his whole political life for independence. "We lost the referendum vote but Scotland can still carry the political initiative. Scotland can still emerge as the real winner," he said.
"For me as leader my time is nearly over. But for Scotland the campaign continues and the dream shall never die."
Salmond took over as leader of the SNP in 1990 and served for 10 years, before quitting after the party'sdefeat in the first elections for a devolved Scottish Parliament.
He returned four years later and spent another decade at the helm, but said it was now "time to give someone else a chance to move that forward".
He will continue to serve as a member of the Scottish Parliament for his constituency in Aberdeenshire.
