London — David Beckham, a former England football captain, attended the long lines in London to view the coffin of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid player told Sky News that he had joined tens of thousands of people slithering towards Westminster Hall to honor the “special” queen of Britain.
Elizabeth’s death last week prompted a national outpouring of grief, with people lining up for hours, many through the night, to pay their respects to the late monarch.
The government announced that the line was briefly halted on Friday because a park at the terminus of the line along the River Thames had reached capacity.
Beckham, 47, was observed waiting in line to pay his respects while wearing a dark flat cap, suit, and tie.
This day was always destined to be challenging, he told Sky News. “Our sympathies are with the family; it’s a special experience to hear all of the stories from the people.
“The most special time of my life was receiving my OBE (Order of the British Empire honour from the queen, which he received in 2003). I brought along my grandparents, who were staunch royalists.
“I was really fortunate to have had such opportunities to be in the presence of her Majesty. It is a sad day, but one worth remembering.”
Beckham stated that he had attempted to avoid the main surge by lining up early but had been unsuccessful.
“I believed that by arriving at 2 a.m. it would be a bit quieter, but I was incorrect,” he told ITV News.
The former footballer stated that every time the national anthem was performed during an England game was a special occasion.
“Every time we stood there wearing those Three Lion shirts and wearing my armband while singing God Save Our Queen, that meant so much to us,” he told ITV.
Beckham was among the dozens of British and international athletes who paid respect to Queen Elizabeth following her death last week at the age of 96.
On Monday morning at Westminster Abbey, the queen will be honored with Britain’s first state burial in nearly six decades, attended by more than 2,000 people.