Kings & Queens: Does Chelsea Have Royal Connections?

Chelsea Football Club may be best known for its Premier League and European successes, but its connections to royalty form a lesser-known chapter in its history. According to club sources, King George VI was a fan of the Blues, while a young Princess Elizabeth saw the Blues when attending her first football match in 1945.

As we delve into the links between the London club and the royal family, we’ll also examine how accurate some of these claims are. Football clubs are often eager to associate themselves with celebrity or royal fans, sometimes stretching the truth in the process.

Chelsea’s Early Royal Connection

The shade of blue Chelsea wear today may be due to a royal influence. When the Prince of Wales visited along with his family in spring 1907, the club decided to alter their colours soon after. Abandoning the Eton Blue, the racing colours of the Earl Cadogan (Viscount Chelsea), they opted for a darker, more regal blue. This may have just been a coincidence, mind you, as no credit was given directly to the Prince for the change.

Was King George V a Chelsea Fan?

We know that King George V, the grandfather of Queen Elizabeth II, did watch Chelsea on several occasions. There are photos of him greeting the players on 21st February 1920 as the Blues took on Leicester City in the FA Cup – a match they won 3-0. He was also present at Stamford Bridge months later, on 16th October 1920, again greeting the players as the Pensioners took on Tottenham. He witnessed a very different match this time, though, as the visitors ended up winning 4-0.

There are more examples of George attending the newly redeveloped Stamford Bridge around this time. He was among the spectators in the main crowd during a 1-1 draw with Arsenal, where he stayed until the final whistle. Chelsea footballer, Jack Cock, writing in his Globe column about the King said, “Not one of the 60,000 crowd enjoyed the game more than he, and one of his equerries told me the King always inquired how Chelsea had fared after their matches.” His attendance became frequent enough that one Manchester newspaper suggested the Bridge should install a sign saying ‘By Royal Appointment.’

According to Chelsea themselves, the King attended these matches because he was a “reputed” fan of the club. At the very least, his attendances were beyond the scope of normal royal duties so there appears to be something there, even if the Jack Cock’s claims are exaggerated.

Was King George VI a Chelsea Fan?

Due to George V’s apparent fondness of Chelsea, one might assume that George VI followed in his father’s footsteps as football fandom is so often passed down through generations. The trouble is, there is little to indicate that the younger George was a Blues fan. Just because a dad supports a certain team, you cannot assume the son feels the same way.

Aside from the father-son connection, it seems some of the claims that King George VI was a Chelsea fan rely on the fact that the monarch attended the Football League War Cup South final on 7th April 1945. A member of the royal family attending a big sporting event at Wembley Stadium is hardly an unusual sight, though. This was more likely a case of him performing his royal duties rather than going to cheer on Chelsea. Indeed, if he was such a fan, why did he not attend Stamford Bridge more often? He made the trip for a Civil Service Sports Day in 1920 and to watch an English versus Scottish schoolboys’ football match in 1922, but other examples are hard to find.

Reading Chelsea’s official website, they claim on more than one page that King George VI was a fan of the club. We have found no evidence proving any genuine fandom, however, and there are few other sources willing to repeat the claim. While it is possible that Chelsea hired historians to dig deep into the footballing preferences of King George VI, it appears more likely that they are just being rather speculative.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Chelsea Connection

At the previously mentioned Chelsea versus Millwall cup final at Wembley, the King brought along his daughter, Elizabeth. Aged 19 at the time, this was Elizabeth’s first time attending a club football match. One of her several chaperones on the day was Chelsea Vice-President Albert Victor Alexander, MP, First Lord of the Admiralty. No doubt he spoke highly about the club during his time with the future queen.

The connection between Queen Elizabeth II and Chelsea rather ends there, though. Some sources say she was not particularly into football, while others say she secretly had a soft spot for West Ham. Either way, there is no indication she was a Chelsea supporter. Indeed, she was not present on any of the eight times that the Blues won the FA Cup during her reign.

Is Princess Kate a Chelsea Fan?

A few news outlets have run with the idea that the Duchess of Cambridge is a Chelsea fan despite it being based on very flimsy evidence. The story first spread when she was attending a Christmas party at the Anna Freud Centre, and she got talking to an eight-year-old boy, Rjay Bryan. According to Rjay, the pair high-fived “because she supports Chelsea and I support Chelsea.” This is the sole basis for the claim that Princess Kate supports the Blues, so it hardly makes for the most convincing argument.

Summing Up

Chelsea have enjoyed some royal connections over the years, but not many. Royalty perhaps inspired their current kit colour, while King George V may well have been a genuine fan of the club. There is little indication, however, that his son, King George VI, was a fan despite claims from Chelsea. There is an even weaker case to say Princess Kate has a soft spot for the Blues, while Queen Elizabeth II’s sole connection is that she attended a game in 1945. For royals with a genuine footballing passion, they support other teams like Aston Villa (Prince William) and Burnley (King Charles).