Soccer star waits in line for 13 hours to pay respects to Queen Elizabeth
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David Beckham, the former captain of England's national football team, waited in line for over 13 hours on Friday to pay his respects to Queen Elizabeth II. While other celebrities jumped the queue with VIP passes, soccer legend Beckham wanted to share the experience with "ordinary" people. TV footage shows him appearing to wipe away tears as he filed past the coffin at Westminster Hall. Queen Elizabeth II died on September the 8th at the age of 96. Her body is currently lying in state for four-and-a-half days so that mourners can pay their respects. Many people were delighted that Beckham was in the queue with them. The football star told reporters: "It's a day for us to remember the incredible legacy that she's left."
Mr Beckham met the Queen several times during her reign. She presented him with an honour at Buckingham Palace in 2003 for his services to football. Beckham joined the seven-kilometer-long queue at 2am on Friday. He said: "I thought 2am was going to be a little bit quieter. I was wrong." He described himself as a royalist and a "huge fan" of the royal family. After the Queen passed away, he wrote on Instagram: "How devastated we all feel today shows what she meant to people in this country.…How much she inspired us with her leadership. How she comforted us when times were tough." Around 750,000 people are expected to file past the Queen's coffin before her funeral on Monday.
Sources:
- https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/62932806
- https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a41245610/david-beckham-queue-queen-elizabeth-lie-in-state/
- https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/former-england-soccer-captain-beckham-queues-see-queen-elizabeths-coffin-2022-09-16/
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