David Beckham is paying his respects to Queen Elizabeth II.
The former English football captain waited 13 hours in line among public mourners to view the Queen’s coffin as she lies in state at Westminster Abbey. David, who has been awarded three OBEs by Queen Elizabeth, joined the line around 2 AM and waited in a crowd of his fellow countrymen in order to say his final farewell. David was reportedly invited to join an expedited line by a PM, however he chose not to move ahead in the line and instead waited to pay his respects.
The soccer star apparently went largely unnoticed waiting in the crowds for several hours before fans on social media pointed out that he was among the mourners in line.
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View Gallery“I think we’re all here to celebrate her majesty our queen so I think it’s special to experience something like this together, it’s what I think she would have wanted,” David shared with a group of reporters who eventually spotted him.
“To be honest, it’s what we all envisioned you know, we all want to be here together, we all want to experience something where we celebrate an amazing life, of our queen. I think something like this today is meant to be shared together so you know the fact we’re here, we’re eating Pringles, we’re eating Sherbert Lemons, we’re eating sandwiches, having coffees so, doughnuts as well,” he shared with reporters after noting that he’d been in line for at least 12 hours.
David then posed with fans as he made his way through the streets of London on his way to Westminster Abbey. Mourners around him praised the 47-year-old athlete for standing in line and also reportedly buying them doughnuts.
The line to visit the Queen reached capacity around 10 AM on Friday and was temporarily paused, but David told ITV that it was worth it to see his Queen.
“I grew up in a household of royalists….here to celebrate with everyone,” he shared with ITV.
David, who wore a black crisp suit, to pay his respects was seen looking glassy-eyed toward the Queen’s coffin and was also spotted wiping away a tear.
“You know I always wanted to represent my country, to be captain in my country, and every time that we stood there when we wore those Three Lion shirts, and I had my armband and we sang, you know, ‘God save our Queen.’ That was something that meant so much to us,” he said in an interview, adding that he was very grateful to have met Queen Elizabeth on several occasions.
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