‘A sad day but it’s a day to remember the incredible legacy he left’ – David Beckham speaks to ITV News Neil Connery in the queue David Beckham joined thousands of mourners queuing to see the Queen laid to rest in London. Fans excitedly shared images of the football star on social media as he waited for more than 10 hours to pay his respects in the queue at Westminster Hall. “I’ve been so lucky to be able to have a few moments in my life to be close to Her Majesty,” he told ITV News. “A sad day, but it’s a day to remember the incredible legacy he left.” Dressed in a dark black suit, navy coat and matching flat hat, the 47-year-old occasionally posed for selfies with fans. “I grew up in a family of royals and I grew up that way,” he explained. The former England footballer said he was there representing his late grandparents. “I know they would like to be here, so I’m here for them and for my family,” he said. David Beckham pays his respects to the Queen at Westminster Hall Discussing his interactions with the Queen throughout his career, the star said it “means so much” to him and his England team-mates whenever they sing ‘God Save Our Queen’ at matches. “Every time we stood there and put on those Three Lion shirts and … sang God Save our Queen, it meant so much to us. It was something special.” “Probably the most special moment for me was receiving my OBE,” he said. “I took my grandparents with me who were the ones who raised me to be a huge royal.” “I’ve been so lucky to have had a few moments like this in my life.” “This day was always going to be difficult,” he added. “It’s hard for everybody around the world because I think everybody feels it.” The star started queuing at 2am when he thought it would be quieter, but joked: “I was wrong, everyone had it in their head.” “Everyone wants to be here, to be part of this experience and to celebrate what Her Majesty has done for us,” he explained. Earlier, queue member Jules Birkby tweeted: “The queue is now full of people trying to get a photo of David Beckham and forgetting to actually move on. “It is madness! I feel a little sorry for him, but he’s taking it really well. “It almost made me forget we’d been in line for almost TWELVE HOURS.” Other celebrities spotted in the queue included TV presenter Susanna Reid. The Good Morning Britain presenter, 51, attended the historic event on Thursday with her mother Sue and said she had ‘experienced a moment in history’. Detailing her experience on Twitter, she said: “In the evening – with my lovely mum and her very good friend, I just experienced a moment in history – witnessing the Queen lying in state at Westminster Hall. At the same time majestic and peaceful.” Her posts also shared tips for others queuing, saying: “If you’re planning to queue, here’s our advice. We joined at 1:23pm. near Butlers Wharf and we entered Westminster Hall at 20:43 – 7hrs 20mins. Wear the most comfortable shoes you have. Go with someone if you can, although everyone in line was friendly. “Don’t carry too much in a bag – water is freely available and there are plenty of cafes along the way. Also lots of toilets. I put my phone on low battery mode and it lasted the whole time. “The first part of the queue is for wristbands. Ours were given out at Tower Bridge about an hour after we started queuing. There’s no queue jumping – people have been waiting patiently for wristbands and once you’ve got one, you can skip the line for snacks/toilet stops and slip back in.” Reality star Sharon Osbourne was also seen among the thousands of mourners on Wednesday. ‘It was great to have her’: Sharon Osbourne joins queues to watch Queen’s coffin procession Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby were also spotted at Westminster Hall as they paid their respects to the late monarch. The presenting duo, who hosted ITV’s This Morning special tributes to the late Queen this week, were dressed in black as they lined up for the historic occasion. On Friday, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport cut the queue at Westminster Hall for “at least six hours” after Southwark Park reached capacity, with the estimated waiting time for mourners rising to at least 14 hours. Some of those queuing will witness the King, Princess Royal, Duke of York and Earl of Wessex hold a 15-minute vigil around their mother’s coffin at around 7.30pm on Friday. For those unable to attend in person, a continuous live stream of the Queen in state has been set up by various broadcasters including the BBC and ITV. Thousands have tuned in to watch mourners parade past the casket to pay their respects. Want a quick and special update on the biggest news? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out what you need to know…
