Simon Cowell will approve – the Queen is a big fan of the X-Factor and the show’s Irish singing sensation Mary Byrne.

The former Tesco check-out operator was the star of the show at Thursday night’s indoor garden party in the Queen’s honor after the late withdrawal of crooners Westlife.

Byrne wowed the Queen, her husband Prince Phillip and a 2,000 storng audience packed with VIPs at Dublin’s new Convention Centre.

Afterwards, Byrne was introduced to Queen Elizabeth who admitted to being a big fan of the show and the Irish singer.

“She came up and spoke to me and said ‘you are the lady off the ‘X Factor’,” Byrne told the Irish Independent.

“I asked her did she watch it? The queen said she watched it the next day so she must have recorded it.”

The 51-year-old Byrne included the U2 song ‘All I Want is You’ in her act for the first time“I was very nervous, it was the first time I have had those sort of nerves since I did the X Factor,” added Byrne.

“I shook like a leaf but it was lovely to watch her at the concert and when she came up close to me, I was shaking. She was such a warm women. Her hand gripped me and she held on. I’m so proud.”

Well known Irish broadcaster Joe Duffy was amongst the audience and said: “It was absolutely magnificent, Gay Byrne as a host was so suave, he made it look so easy. At one stage he joked that people not get up and dance in the aisles especially her majesty.”
The Queen arrived on stage at the event, much to Duffy’s surprise.

He added: “She walked up on stage at the end of the concert and waved to the crowd and shook everyone’s hand. She looks like she totally enjoyed it.”