The Queen is a huge fan of George Formby and knows all his songs by heart, it has been revealed.
She was even asked to be president of the George Formby Society but sadly had to decline as it was not deemed "appropriate" by her staff.
Eve Pollard reveals the Queen's favourite songs and her love for the comical singer and ukelele player Formby in the latest Radio Times.
Pollard describes how the Queen received a letter from the George Formby Society asking her to take on its top role. Her correspondence secretary noted: "I don't honestly think, if you don't mind me saying so, this is appropriate; you're the head of the armed forces, the head of the Church of England, I don't think you can be president of the George Formby Appreciation Society."
To which the Queen replied, "Well, I do see that, but you see I love George Formby."
"Really?" responded the secretary.
"Oh yes. I know all his songs and I can sing them."
Pollard interviewed friends and family of the Queen on their musical tastes for a new Radio 2 documentary, due for broadcast next weekend.
Besides Formby, the Queen loves hymns, military music and show tunes. She loves the song Anything You Can Do, from the musical Annie Get Your Gun. The Sylvia Young Theatre School, which specialises in musical theatre, is sometimes invited to perform at concerts at Buckingham Palace.
Lady Anson, the Queen's cousin, told Pollard: "We did a lot of singing at Kensington Palace. Nobody thought it was odd after dinner if we put on a record and all sang Doing the Lambeth Walk, so music has always been part of her life."
Pollard tells the Radio Times: "It turns out that her [the Queen's] taste is mainstream, no airs and graces: the soundtrack of the Queen's life is very much like our own."
She adds: "I had no inkling that the one singing star the Queen is word perfect on is none other than the ukulele king George Formby. The story of her fondness for his music says so much about her."
Gyles Brandreth, who interviewed the correspondence secretary as part of his book Philip and Elizabeth: Portrait of a Royal Marriage, told Pollard of her love for Formby.
Formby was invited to perform for the Queen and her sister Princess Margaret at Buckingham Palace when they were both still children.
Formby, who died in 1961, was once banned by the BBC for his song When I'm Cleaning Windows. The corporation's Lord Reith said it was a "disgusting little ditty". Formby protested that he had sung it in front of the King and Queen at the Royal Variety Performance.
Pollard's other contributors include Margaret Rhodes, Lady Elizabeth Anson, Lady Jean Carnarvon, Rev Kenneth MacKenize, minister of Braemar and Crathie parish and the Queen's domestic chaplain in Scotland, and the Dean of Westminster, Dr John Hall.
The Queen's top ten :
Oklahoma! by Howard Keel
Anthing You Can Do (Annie Get Your Gun) by Dolores Gray and Bill Johnson
Sing by Gary Barlow and the Commonwealth Band featuring the Military Wives
Cheek to Cheek by Fred Astaire
The White Cliffs Of Dover by Vera Lynn
Leaning on a Lamp-post by George Formby
Praise, My Soul, The King Of Heaven (hymn)
The Lord is My Shepherd (hymn)
Lester Lanin Medley
Regimental March 'Milanollo'
