The phenomenon of crop circles, which has baffled scientists for decades, once intrigued the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, it emerged.
The Monarch's "interest" in the mysterious designs was revealed in a Buckingham Palace letter written to expert Colin Andrews in 1990.
At the time Philip even took out an annual subscription to a newsletter written by the investigator so he could be kept up to date about his research.
Crop circles, or agriglyphs, are complex geometric patterns found impressed in field crops and sometimes other vegetation.
They can also be found in surfaces that take the impressions like snow, sand and ice.
In 1990 the Queen's then private secretary, Robert Fellowes, now a Lord, wrote a letter in reply to a note penned by Mr Andrews.
The official correspondence posted on the expert's website stated: "Her Majesty has taken an interest in the mysterious crop circles for some time and was sad to hear your results of years of research into the question are at risk through lack of funds."
The note also revealed that at the time there were no circles at her private Sandringham Estate.
When questioned about the Queen's interest in crop circles, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said they did not comment about private correspondence.
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