Reports over the weekend suggest that the Queen has been hogging her grandson William's Wii games console.

A 'royal insider' has claimed that the heir to the throne was given a Wii for Christmas by his girlfriend Kate Middleton.

However, when the Queen saw William using the Nintendo console she reportedly showed great enthusiasm.

"When she saw William playing a game after lunch at Sandringham she thought the Nintendo looked tremendous fun and begged to join in," said the insider.

"His only difficulty now is prising it away from the Queen's clutches. She showed all the signs of becoming a Nintendo addict."

The Queen is rumoured to be quite technologically savvy for someone of her background and age.

She sent her first email over 30 years ago and reportedly uses her own email account regularly, although she apparently dictates rather than using a keyboard.

The monarch received a 6GB iPod from her grandsons two years ago and this year the broadcast to the Commonwealth went out via the Royal channel on YouTube.

The Queen also gave Tim Berners-Lee the Order of Merit, an award made personally to someone the monarch feels has contributed to the nation.

When Queen Victoria first suggested the award she wrote: "Albert and I suggested the desirability of some day considering, and perhaps establishing, an Order as we have nothing of the kind which might be given for merit, or as a mark of particular favour, for distinguished talents and personal service to The Sovereign."