Emmanuel Eboue's hilarious story of the time he met the Queen resurfaces

Former Arsenal defender Emmanuel Eboue’s hilarious story of the time he met Her Majesty the Queen has resurfaced this week.

In the wake of Queen Elizabeth II’s passing on Thursday, footage has emerged online of the Arsenal team’s visit to Buckingham Palace in February 2007 when they became the only club to ever receive such an invitation.

The Queen had been scheduled to cut the ribbon to officially open the Gunners’ new home after the club moved from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium in the summer of 2006.

Arsenal are the ONLY football club to ever be invited for afternoon tea with the Queen 👑pic.twitter.com/tNJlKgr8j7

— Arsenal Presser (@APresserV2) September 8, 2022

However, due to reportedly hurting her back, Prince Philip took her place. 

It was reported that, after expressing her disappointment at missing the event, the Queen invited the Arsenal players and staff for afternoon tea at the Palace.

And one player in particular had a rather memorable encounter with Her Majesty that day.

Speaking to the Telegraph in 2016, Eboue, who made over 130 appearances in an Arsenal shirt between 2004 and 2011 and was known for his playful demeanour, recalled how he told Queen Elizabeth II that he no longer wanted to play football but look after her corgis instead.

The Ivorian said: “We went there and Thierry Henry said to me: ‘Please, Emmanuel, this is Buckingham Palace, it’s the Queen’s house, don’t do anything.'

“‘No problem,’ I said. ‘Don’t worry’. So the Queen came in and went along shaking each player’s hand.

“After she’d finished I saw all her corgis so I said, ‘Ma’am, Ma’am’. She turned back and asked, ‘How are you?’ and I said, ‘Ma’am, I am OK thank you but please, I don’t want to be a footballer any more, I want to look after your dogs. I want to take them for walks, wash them, feed them. I want to be a dog carer.

“The Queen, honestly, she was laughing. Prince Philip was laughing too. All the team were laughing.”

The video footage ends with the Queen receiving the Arsenal club emblem of a cannon and then-manager Arsene Wenger joking, “It’s not to incite you to make war.”

After the news surfaced of Her Majesty's passing, tributes were paid by many, including Arsenal, who released a statement. 

We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Her Majesty The Queen.

Along with many of our supporters today, we will be taking time to mourn and reflect on Her Majesty’s incredible life and devoted service.

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) September 8, 2022

It read: “Everyone at Arsenal Football Club is saddened at the news of the death of Her Majesty The Queen.

“Her Majesty gave remarkable service over eight decades to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth and we join together with so many around the world in mourning her passing and wish to extend our deepest sympathies to the Royal Family.”