Fact Check

Did Queen Elizabeth II Ask Cristiano Ronaldo to Sign Jerseys?

Is Manchester United even Queen Elizabeth's favorite football team?

Published Sept. 1, 2021

 (Twitter / SIS)
Image Via Twitter / SIS
Article 23 of 25 in Collection
Claim:
Queen Elizabeth II asked for Christiano Ronaldo's autograph when she ordered 80 Manchester United jerseys.

On Sept. 1, 2021, shortly after Manchester United revealed new photographs of Christiano Ronaldo in the team's jerseys, a rumor started circulating on social media that Queen Elizabeth II had asked for the soccer star's autograph after she placed an order for 80 jerseys:

This is not a genuine news story. The queen of England did not order 80 jerseys, and she did not ask for Ronaldo's autograph.

The above-displayed tweet, which racked up more than 10,000 likes within hours of its posting, was later deleted and replaced with a message stating: "We could not confirm the veracity of the note from the Queen and CR7 so we decided to delete the tweet. Apologies."

But this didn't stop the rumor from spreading. A number of accounts picked up on the false rumor and repeated it is if it were true.

This just isn't true.

For one, there's no credible source for the information. The account that appears to have started this rumor has deleted the message and replaced it with a note of apology.

And second, Queen Elizabeth II is not a Manchester United fan. At least not explicitly.

The queen keeps her football fandom a bit of a secret, opting instead to be a neutral ambassador for the sport. Goal.com reported that the queen is rumored to be a West Ham fan, but that she has also expressed support for Arsenal:

The current head of state in the UK, Queen Elizabeth II has been speculated to support a number of sides over the years. It's now thought the Queen may be a West Ham United fan.

It's thought the reigning monarch has kept tight-lipped about her team to remain neutral but it's since been reported that she could have admired the club as far back as the 60s.

However, it's also thought the Queen may have a soft spot for Arsenal after meeting with Arsene Wenger at an event at Buckingham Palace in 2007. It's rumoured she was particularly impressed with Cesc Fabregas after chatting to him.

As this claim appears to be made out of whole cloth, we're marking this rumor as "False."

Article 23 of 25 in Collection

Sources

Exclusive: First Photos of Ronaldo in New United Kit. https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/exclusive-first-photos-of-cristiano-ronaldo-in-new-man-utd-kit-for-2021-22?utm_campaign=ManUtd&utm_medium=post&utm_source=instagram. Accessed 1 Sept. 2021.

Murphy, Victoria. “Queen Elizabeth Sends a Message to the England Football Team Ahead of the European Championships Final.” Town & Country, 10 July 2021, https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a36988008/queen-elizabeth-message-england-football-team-european-championships-final/.

Which Football Clubs Do the Queen, Prince Harry & Prince William Support? | Goal.Com. https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/british-royal-family-which-football-clubs-do-the-queen/1gthimbbarryx1wljrnon8p7ie. Accessed 1 Sept. 2021.

Dan Evon is a former writer for Snopes.

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