Sven at palace without Nancy

by MARK REYNOLDS, Daily Mail

As Sven Goran Eriksson and a party of soccer VIPs were presented to the Queen yesterday, one figure was mysteriously missing from the proceedings.

The England football manager arrived without his lady friend Nancy Dell'Olio.

Most of the 120 guests who attended the lunchtime event at Buckingham Palace were accompanied by their wives or partners.

But Nancy was back at the London home she shares with Eriksson in Regent's Park.

The 42-year-old Italian eventually emerged in trouser suit, fur-lined coat and grey trilby, frostily declining to comment about her missed royal appointment.

A source close to the couple said: "Sven and Nancy are known to have their differences of opinion from time to time and it appears that this may well have been one of those occasions. Anyone who knows her would find it difficult to imagine Nancy being happy at missing a day out at Buckingham Palace."

Volatile relationship

It is certainly not the first time that 56-year-old Eriksson, who cheated on Miss Dell'Olio two years ago with Ulrika Jonsson, has attended events without his flamboyant partner. Nor is it the first time they have demonstrated the volatile nature of their relationship.

The fiery Italian has been involved in a string of furious bust- ups with Eriksson and recently took him by surprise by announcing they intended to adopt a child together.

She has also publicly admitted to finding football "boring" and attended last year's National Television Awards alone when he declined to go.

Last night, her spokesman said tersely: "Nancy was busy with other appointments so she could not attend."

100 guests

The party she missed was part of a centenary celebration for the international football governing body, FIFA. More than 100 guests from around the world attended.

The Queen presided over the event as patron of the Football Association. Also present were the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Andrew, who is the FA's president.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter said: "This has been one of the highlights of my career as a football official for 30 years.

"I expressed my thanks to Her Majesty and also to British football, especially English, who have organised association football and who have brought it to the world."