Retired soccer great David Beckham waited in line for 12 hours with thousands of others on Friday to pay his respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, who was lying in state at Westminster Hall in London ahead of her funeral on Monday, Sept. 19.
The London-born athlete, 47, told Reuters that he felt it was appropriate to stand alongside his fellow citizens to honor the late monarch, who died Sept. 8 in Scotland at age 96.
"I think it’s what I always wanted to do, in all honesty," said Beckham. "I think we’re all here to celebrate Her Majesty, our queen, so I think it’s special to experience something like this together. It’s what I think she would have wanted."
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid player, who wore a dark suit and cap outside Westminster Hall, said that everyone waiting in the queue — which stretched more than five miles on Friday, forcing officials to turn some mourners away — wanted to share the experience together.
“To be honest, it’s what we all envisioned, you know, we all want to be here together. We all want to experience something where we celebrate an amazing life, of our queen.
“I think something like this today is meant to be shared together so you know the fact we’ve been here, we’re eating Pringles, we’re eating Sherbert Lemons, we’re eating sandwiches, having coffees so, doughnuts as well,” he added.
Christopher Anstee, 47, from Cardiff, Wales, who stood near Beckham in the line, used the occasion to grab a selfie with the soccer great.
“We come to pay my respects to The Queen and just before we go in we get to meet the handsome Mr Beckham. I got the pic #Starstruck but respectfully x #DavidBeckham #Queen,” Anstee wrote next to the image, which he posted on Twitter.
Anstee told NBC News that he also waited in the line for 12 hours to pay his respects to the late monarch.
“The experience at the end was worth every single minute. It was wonderful to pay personal respects to a lady, the likes of which we will never see again," said Anstee. "It was also wonderful to be part of something that the world is unlikely to experience ever again."
Beckham's presence in the crowd only made the event even more "special," added Anstee.
"David was an absolute gentleman. He lifted the spirits of the crowd and made a long journey a little bit more special," he said. "He turned no one away and smiled and welcomed every interaction. Special day and more than one special moment."