Steve Davis was astonished by Queen Elizabeth II's five-word comment to him
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Snooker legend Steve Davis recently recounted an encounter with the late Queen Elizabeth II that left him astounded, revealing her surprising interest in his career and the sport.
The south London native, who soared to fame in the 1970s and became a snooker powerhouse through the 1980s, clinched six World Championships and featured in eight finals before hanging up his cue in 2016 at the age of 58.
With an illustrious reputation over four decades, his fame had even reached the Queen, who sadly passed away in September 2022.
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At a gathering in Leamington Spa back in November 2022, Davis shared an anecdote from 1989 when he was awarded his MBE. He described to the audience how Her Majesty had inquired "Did you win the final?", demonstrating her attentiveness to his achievements.
(Image: Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)
(Image: © 2025 PA Media)
(Image: GETTY)
The snooker star, now 67, painted the picture: "You get put in this room, a posh guy comes in, he goes all the knighthoods at the front, form a queue, then the CBEs and the OBEs then all the crud at the back. When it is your turn, you are going to turn, and then bow, the Queen is going to be in front of you."
Davis reminisced about his triumph at the Rothmans Grand Prix that Sunday, having trumped Dean Reynolds with a commanding 10-0 victory in the final, marking a period when he was at the top of his game. He recollected feeling validated as the best by none other than the Queen herself, reports the Mirror.
With a smile, Davis detailed the moment of receiving his MBE: "It was my turn. I go like this, I turn, I bow, I take two steps forward, she pins on my MBE and as we are shaking hands she speaks to me.
"She says, 'We had to go out of the country over the weekend. Did you win the final?' I thought, 'The Queen watches snooker!' I went, 'Yes ma'am,' and she went, 'Well done!'".
Bursting with pride, Davis was eager to share his unexpected Royal encounter saying, "So I am off down to my local social club in Plumstead to tell everybody the Queen watches snooker and she thinks I am the best thing in the game. Fantastic,".
Years later, after receiving an OBE, Davis recalled meeting Her Majesty again: "Five years later I get awarded the OBE."
He humorously noted the procedural change upon his upgrade: "It is like an upgrade, you get further up the queue. That is the only difference I could see, but this time I was no longer the best thing in the game. Stephen Hendry had come along and taken all my ranking points, all my prize money, all my sweets."
Reflecting on the evolution of his career, Davis shared a light-hearted moment during the OBE ceremony that signalled a shift in his status as a sportsman: "Well, the Queen confirmed I was no longer the best thing in the game. It is my turn."
With laughter, he recounted the pivotal exchange with the Queen: "I took two steps forward, she pinned on my OBE and as we were shaking hands, once again she spoke to me. She said, 'Tell me, do you still play?' and that effectively was the end of my career!".
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