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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.

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.