It has long been believed that the Queen is a fan of north London team Arsenal.
In fact, she has let slip that she is a fan of east London club West Ham United.
After overhearing her staff talking about the rivalry between West Ham, whose anthem is I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles, and their east London neighbours Millwall (the two teams are separated by just 7 miles), the Queen told them that she is a West Ham fan.
Her allegiance supposedly comes from the fact that she is a fan of West Ham's most successful manager Ron Greenwood, who was also England manager between 1977 and 1982.
The Queen also has huge respect for East Enders, who showed remarkable stoicism when east London was repeatedly bombed by the Luftwaffe during the War.
The Queen's son, and future king, Prince William is also president of the English Football Association.
Barack Obama is also a West Ham fan.
The Queen's a West Ham fan
By Susie Boniface
6/09/2009
EXCLUSIVE
Her blood is not just blue - it's CLARET and blue.
After years of refusing to publicly name her favourite football team, the Queen has let slip she is a secret West Ham fan.
Her Majesty revealed her love of the Hammers, whose anthem is I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles, to staff after overhearing them talking about the club's rivalry with East London neighbours Millwall.
Her allegiance is believed to date back to her admiration for West Ham's most successful manager, the late Ron Greenwood. She met him several times and awarded him the CBE in 1981. The Queen has also always had huge respect for the spirit of East Enders, who were repeatedly bombed by the Germans during the Blitz.
The Queen is a fan of east London team West Ham United, nicknamed "The Hammers." She respects the stoicism showed by East Londoners during the Blitz
A Windsor Castle source said: "The Queen has never wanted people to know who she supports because she wants to be seen to be neutral.
"But she gave up her secret after overhearing one of her staff members saying he was a Millwall fan and was talking to another member of staff about the derby between West Ham and their arch rivals.
"They were quite shocked - after all, she's not exactly your typical West Ham fan."
The Queen - who was previously rumoured to be an Arsenal fan - joins the ranks of other famous supporters of West Ham.
They include TV host Noel Edmonds, boxer Frank Bruno, actor Ray Winstone, Strictly Come Dancing judge Len Goodman - and even US President Barack Obama.
But for most of her subjects, the team's most famous fan is the character Alf Garnett, from the sitcoms Till Death Us Do Part and In Sickness And In Health.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: "The Queen, over her reign, has watched a number of football matches and often used to present the cup at the FA Cup Final.
"Prince William is now president of the FA and she has handed this job over to him.
"Which team she supports is not something we would know."
Prince Harry was given a Hammers shirt when he visited the club's Upton Park ground on his 18th birthday.
West Ham and the song "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles"
The team's supporters are famous for their rendition of the chorus of their team's anthem, "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" introduced to the club by former manager Charlie Paynter in the late 1920s.
At the time, a Pears soap commercial featuring the curly haired child in the Millais "Bubbles" painting who resembled a player Billy J. "Bubbles" Murray in a local schoolboy team of Park School for whom the headmaster Cornelius Beal coined singing the tune "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" with amended lyrics.
Beal was a friend of Paynter, whilst Murray was a West Ham trialist and played football at schoolboy level with a number of West Ham players such as Jim Barrett.
Through this contrivance of association the clubs fans took it upon themselves to begin singing the popular music hall tune before home games, sometimes reinforced by the presence of a house band requested to play the refrain by Charlie Paynter.
dailymail.co.uk
In fact, she has let slip that she is a fan of east London club West Ham United.
After overhearing her staff talking about the rivalry between West Ham, whose anthem is I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles, and their east London neighbours Millwall (the two teams are separated by just 7 miles), the Queen told them that she is a West Ham fan.
Her allegiance supposedly comes from the fact that she is a fan of West Ham's most successful manager Ron Greenwood, who was also England manager between 1977 and 1982.
The Queen also has huge respect for East Enders, who showed remarkable stoicism when east London was repeatedly bombed by the Luftwaffe during the War.
The Queen's son, and future king, Prince William is also president of the English Football Association.
Barack Obama is also a West Ham fan.
The Queen's a West Ham fan
By Susie Boniface
6/09/2009
EXCLUSIVE
Her blood is not just blue - it's CLARET and blue.
After years of refusing to publicly name her favourite football team, the Queen has let slip she is a secret West Ham fan.
Her Majesty revealed her love of the Hammers, whose anthem is I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles, to staff after overhearing them talking about the club's rivalry with East London neighbours Millwall.
Her allegiance is believed to date back to her admiration for West Ham's most successful manager, the late Ron Greenwood. She met him several times and awarded him the CBE in 1981. The Queen has also always had huge respect for the spirit of East Enders, who were repeatedly bombed by the Germans during the Blitz.
The Queen is a fan of east London team West Ham United, nicknamed "The Hammers." She respects the stoicism showed by East Londoners during the Blitz
A Windsor Castle source said: "The Queen has never wanted people to know who she supports because she wants to be seen to be neutral.
"But she gave up her secret after overhearing one of her staff members saying he was a Millwall fan and was talking to another member of staff about the derby between West Ham and their arch rivals.
"They were quite shocked - after all, she's not exactly your typical West Ham fan."
The Queen - who was previously rumoured to be an Arsenal fan - joins the ranks of other famous supporters of West Ham.
They include TV host Noel Edmonds, boxer Frank Bruno, actor Ray Winstone, Strictly Come Dancing judge Len Goodman - and even US President Barack Obama.
But for most of her subjects, the team's most famous fan is the character Alf Garnett, from the sitcoms Till Death Us Do Part and In Sickness And In Health.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: "The Queen, over her reign, has watched a number of football matches and often used to present the cup at the FA Cup Final.
"Prince William is now president of the FA and she has handed this job over to him.
"Which team she supports is not something we would know."
Prince Harry was given a Hammers shirt when he visited the club's Upton Park ground on his 18th birthday.
West Ham and the song "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles"
The team's supporters are famous for their rendition of the chorus of their team's anthem, "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" introduced to the club by former manager Charlie Paynter in the late 1920s.
At the time, a Pears soap commercial featuring the curly haired child in the Millais "Bubbles" painting who resembled a player Billy J. "Bubbles" Murray in a local schoolboy team of Park School for whom the headmaster Cornelius Beal coined singing the tune "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" with amended lyrics.
Beal was a friend of Paynter, whilst Murray was a West Ham trialist and played football at schoolboy level with a number of West Ham players such as Jim Barrett.
Through this contrivance of association the clubs fans took it upon themselves to begin singing the popular music hall tune before home games, sometimes reinforced by the presence of a house band requested to play the refrain by Charlie Paynter.
dailymail.co.uk
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