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Queen offers hand for Beckham foot

Beckham is stretchered off after breaking his foot in Champions League quarterfinal

LONDON, England -- Britain's Queen Elizabeth has offered the services of her granddaughter to help heal England football captain David Beckham's broken foot.

In an unlikely briefing with two tabloid newspaper editors on Thursday, the 76-year-old monarch was reported to have raised the issue of Beckham's injury and his race to be fit for the World Cup.

She sympathised with the concerns of fans for the 26-year-old Manchester United midfielder, reportedly saying: "I realise it's very important for the country. I don't know enough about stress fractures to go into any detail but I do know he is not doing the right things to get it fixed."

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The queen was thought to be referring to Beckham's car crash with an off-duty police officer last week. He is also having intensive treatment -- including sleeping in a oxygen tent -- to heal his damaged bone and maintain his fitness.

When asked if she knew any good physiotherapists to help his recovery, the queen mentioned her 20-year-old granddaughter Zara Philips, who helped nurse her jockey boyfriend Richard Johnson after he broke a leg.

The queen, who this year celebrates her 50th year on the throne, was quoted in Friday's Daily Mirror and Sun newspapers as saying: "I do actually. My granddaughter has just qualified. She helped to get Richard's leg fixed."

Beckham broke a bone in his left foot as Manchester United beat Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna in the Champions League quarterfinal on April 10. His best friend, Manchester United and England teammate Gary Neville, suffered a similar injury on Wednesday. (Full story)

But England coach Sven Goran Eriksson is optimistic that his captain will be fit at least for the final stages of the tournament in Japan and South Korea.