Arsene Wenger reveals his ‘admiration’ for the Queen and says it was an ‘honour’ to meet her twice

Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed his ‘admiration’ for Queen Elizabeth II following her death at Balmoral on Thursday.

The Queen peacefully passed away aged 96 bringing an end to her 70-year reign over the country, which is the longest-term served by a monarch in the UK’s history.

Tributes for the Queen have flooded in from the world of football with this weekend’s fixtures have been postponed and figures such as England managers Gareth Southgate and Sarina Wiegman making their own tributes.

Arsene Wenger paid a touching tribute to Queen Elizabeth II on social media after her death

Queen Elizabeth II died on Thursday and has received tributes from all over the world

Wenger posted a touching tribute to Queen Elizabeth II on Instagram on Friday evening

The former Arsenal boss, however, revealed what he thought of the Queen as he met her on more than one occasion.

One of the times he met Her Majesty was on a visit to Buckingham Palace in 2006 for afternoon tea. The Queen had meant to cut the ribbon for the unveiling of the newly constructed Emirates Stadium, but she invited the squad to the palace as she was unable to attend.

He wrote on Instagram: ‘I arrived in England almost 26 years ago, in October 1996. During that time, it was an honour to meet Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II twice. Once at Buckingham Palace, and once at Windsor.

Arsene Wenger met Queen Elizabeth II when he was Arsenal manager at Buckingham Palace

‘In an ever-changing world, throughout her reign, her sense of duty, and dedication to keeping the nation united are qualities I had huge respect and admiration for.

‘The tributes that have been paid by people from all walks of life from around the world, demonstrate how much she meant, to so many. I would like to send my condolences to the Royal Family, and to all those who are in mourning today.’

Wenger was in charge of the Gunners from 1996 to 2018, winning the Premier League three times and the FA Cup on seven occasions.

The England men’s manager Gareth Southgate said: ‘My thoughts today are with His Majesty King Charles III, the FA President HRH The Duke of Cambridge and the Royal Family.

Gareth Southgate (left) explained that the Queen showed the world what it means to be British

‘In remembering and celebrating the life of Her Majesty The Queen, we are also acknowledging her remarkable leadership and lifetime of dignified service.  

‘She showed the world what it is to be British. Her values, her dignity, her resilience were an exemplar to us all and she has provided us with stability and reassurance in the best and also most difficult of times. I was proud to have her as our patron and to sing God Save The Queen before every match.

‘The team will have the chance to pay our respects at our fixture with Germany later this month. An occasion that will, of course, bring to mind the World Cup final in 1966 and the moment when Her Majesty handed the Jules Rimet trophy to Bobby Moore. As Wembley and the country falls silent, I will think of that and her 70 years of impeccable duty.’

Lionesses’ Sarina Wiegman also paid tribute to the Queen and that she was a ‘mother figure’

England women’s manager Wiegman added: ‘I just wanted to join the many millions of people across the world to celebrate her life and mourn her passing. My homeland has always had a great deal of respect, admiration and love for her and I know that is a feeling not unique to the Netherlands but across the entire world.

‘Developing my connection with England strengthened my bond to Her Majesty. I could feel the love the public felt for her, a mother figure for people to seek stability and peace from in uncertain times.

‘The national anthem sung with such respect by my players and staff, served as a reminder of what she meant to the country. The words ‘send her victorious’ a line written on our shirts, but was also in our hearts.’