Arsenal‘s Europa League opener this evening included an impromptu minute-long silence in memory of Queen Elizabeth II, a rumoured supporter of the London club.
Earlier tonight it was announced by Buckingham Palace that the long-serving monarch had died at the age of 96.
The announcement came midway through Arsenal’s European visit to FC Zurich.
Before kickoff for the second half, both sets of players lined up in a minute’s silence for the Queen.
Here are some photographs of the moment:
Who did the Queen support?
Back in 2009, The Mirror reported that Queen Elizabeth had a soft spot for a certain West Ham United.
However, The Sun quotes former Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas as revealing as a teenager that she actually supported the North London outfit.
Fabregas reportedly said when he was 19: “It seems the Queen follows football and she told us she was an Arsenal fan. She appeared to definitely know who I was and we exchanged a few special words.”
The Spain international and his fellow teammates were invited to Buckingham Castle in 2007 by the Queen herself after a health problem prevented her from fulfilling a commitment regarding the opening of the Emirates Stadium 15 years ago.
In addition to being the longest-serving monarch in British history, having held the position for 70 years, she was also the world’s oldest head of state.
Here is how Arsenal reacted on their official website to the announcement:
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