David Beckham stood 12 hours in line to pay his respects to the queen
Mr. Posh Spice did not want posh treatment when he paid his respects to Queen Elizabeth II.
The former soccer player waited more than 12 hours outside the Houses of Parliament, where the queen’s casket has lain since Wednesday. Grieving family members followed a horse-drawn gun carriage carrying the coffin. It was displayed in Westminster Hall at Parliament.
A BBC reporter questioned the soccer icon as he approached the building on Friday. The line of mourners stretches 5 kilometres down the River Thames, with 24-hour waits reported.
Beckham remarked as guards shifted his line, “We’ve all been celebrating and telling stories,” He and others had waited since 2:15 a.m.
“We all envisioned it,” stated the 47-year-old athlete. We all wish to commemorate the queen’s life together.
“I think something like this today is meant to be shared together,” he continued. “So the fact that we’ve been here, we’re eating Pringles, we’re eating Sherbet Lemons, you know, we’re eating sandwiches, having coffee, doughnuts.”
A woman in line close Beckham said, “Big respect.” “He’s stood with us and he’s paid his respects the way he wanted to. That’s amazing. It’s just been really good.”
Beckham bowed to the casket in Westminster Hall before leaving.
“We have been lucky as a nation to have had someone who has led us the way Her Majesty has led us, for the amount of time, with kindness, with caring and always reassuring,” he explained. “I think that’s the one thing that we all felt safe and we will continue that with the royal family. But I think [Her] Majesty was someone special and will be missed, not just by everyone in our country but everyone around the world.”
Beckham also discussed being granted an OBE in June 2003 for his soccer efforts
“To receive my OBE, I took my grandparents with me — who were the ones that really brought me up to be a huge royalist and a fan of the royal family — and obviously I had my wife [Victoria Beckham] there as well,” he said. “To step up, to get my honor — but then also Her Majesty, to ask questions, to talk. I was so lucky that I was able to have a few moments like that in my life, to be around Her Majesty.”
Victoria Beckham posted Sept. 8 on the queen’s death.
“Today is a very sad day for the entire world,” Victoria tweeted. “I’m deeply saddened by the passing of our beloved Monarch, Her Majesty The Queen. She will be remembered for her steadfast loyalty and service and my thoughts are with the royal family at this time.”
Friday evening, King Charles III and his siblings will maintain vigil around the flag-draped coffin. Prince William, Prince Harry, Zara Tindall, Peter Phillips, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Lady Louise Windsor, and James, Viscount Severn will stand vigil Saturday for 15 minutes.