Soccer great David Beckham joined the miles-long line of people waiting to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II as she lies in state.
The former England captain was spotted standing in line with other mourners near Britain’s Houses of Parliament around lunchtime on Friday. Beckham told Sky News he joined the queue at 2 a.m., thinking it would be "a little bit quieter."
"I was wrong," he said 12 hours later.
Beckham didn't appear to mind, however, telling the outlet it was "special to be here" lined up with thousands of others and to "hear the different stories that people have to say."
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"The most special moment for me was to receive my Order of the British Empire. I took my grandparents with me, who were the ones that really brought me up to be a huge royalist and a fan of the royal family, and obviously I had my wife there as well," he said. "To step up, to get my honor, but then also Her Majesty, to ask questions, to talk, I was so lucky that I was able to have a few moments like that in my life, to be around Her Majesty."
Christopher Anstee, who stood in line near Beckham, told NBC News the former Manchester United star "lifted the spirits of the crowd and made a long journey a little bit more special.
"He turned no one away and smiled and welcomed every interaction," Anstee said, adding "David was an absolute gentleman."
Officials temporarily halted people joining the back of the line on Friday after a park at the farthest end became full. People who arrived were directed to holding areas and slowly allowed to join the queue.
The queen is due to lie in state at Westminster Hall in Parliament until Monday morning, when her funeral will be held at nearby Westminster Abbey.
