Ronan O'Gara explained why he put his hands in his pockets when meeting the Queen in 2009

Throughout Britain today, people will be hanging up their bunting and preparing their afternoon teas to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

However, across the Irish Sea, the sentiment may not be as celebratory across the households, to say the least.

When former Grand Slam winning Ireland fly-half and three-time British and Irish Lions tourist Ronan O’Gara met the Queen in 2009, many criticised the rugby legend for his apparent ‘snubbing’ of Her Majesty.

Following Ireland’s 2009 Grand Slam heroics, with O’Gara kicking the decisive drop-goal in Wales’ Millennium Stadium to seal the historic victory, a civic reception was held in Stormont.

As Queen Elizabeth II was greeting the players, a photo emerged of O’Gara stood with his hands firmly in his pockets, with centre Brian O’Driscoll smiling over at O’Gara, which received widespread criticism in the press.

O’Gara soon debunked the myth that he ‘snubbed’ the Queen, claiming that out of respect for the monarch, he was cleaning his hands of sweat before he shook her hand.

O’Gara argues that it was simply an opportunistic photo that then took a life of its own, with the false narrative of him as a “difficult Corkman” being created.

The great Frank Miller, @IrishTimes picture ed, retired today – one of his unforgettable photographs – Ronan O'Gara hands in his pockets meeting the Queen while Jamie Heaslip gives him the filthies pic.twitter.com/lUdoXrVw6e

O’Gara defined that he is: “A very proud Irishman and a Catholic but I am not a republican”, adding that, “I am not politically aligned”.

The fourth highest points scorer in the history of test rugby went on to note of the majority of the Ulster team that are ninety per cent Protestant, with whom he is friendly of