David Beckham lines up for 13 hours to pay respects to Queen Elizabeth II

MANILA, Philippines — British athlete-entrepreneur David Beckham joined thousands of mourners to bid farewell to the late Queen Elizabeth II, queuing outside Westminster Hall for 13 hours.

Beckham told Sky News as he was in line that he had queued up as early as 2:15 in the morning (London time), "We all want to celebrate our Queen, Her Majesty."

In a different video interview, this time by BBC News' Vicki Young, Beckham said he and the people around him have all been celebrating and sharing stories about the Queen.

"It's what we all envisioned, we all want to be here together, we all want to experience something where we celebrate the amazing life of our Queen and something like this is meant to be shared together," said Beckham, explaining why he chose to line up with his fellow countrymen.

He added that while in line they've been having Pringles, sandwiches, coffee, donuts, and sherbert lemons, and a woman in the crowd praised the former England team captain for deciding to line up like everyone else.

David Beckham telling us what it’s been like waiting 12 hours to pay his respects to Queen Elizabeth II ?@BBCPolitics? ?@BBCNews? pic.twitter.com/EXkmEx0S3s

— Vicki Young (@BBCVickiYoung) September 16, 2022

Beckham told ITV news that he had grown up with a household of royalists, even saying his grandparents would have lined up as well, "I'm here on their behalf, of my family, and to be with everybody."

The football star, clad in a black suit, finally entered Westminster Hall shortly after 3 p.m. and had a moment of silence in front of the Queen's coffin which was draped in the Royal Standard flag and the Imperial State Crown.

Beckham had met Queen Elizabeth II several times over the years, and it was the Queen who bestowed upon him his Order of the British Empire or OBE; Beckham's grandparents and his wife Victoria were present at the ceremony.

Television personality Sharon Osbourne also queued up with the public, rather than the VIP line most notable figures lined up instead.

Queen Elizabeth II's remains will lie in state at Westminster Hall until Monday morning, where they will be taken to Westminster Abbey for her funeral.

The late monarch's children King Charles III, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward stood vigil around her coffin on Friday night while her grandchildren — including Charles' children Prince William and Harry — are expected to do so on Saturday.

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