David Beckham Waits in Line With Mourners to See Queen Elizabeth's Casket

By Stephen Andrew

The death of Queen Elizabeth has brought countless mourners, including soccer star David Beckham, to the late British monarch's pre-funeral memorial. The English football legend was spotted waiting in line with his fellow countrymen and women to see the Queen's casket at Westminster. In photos shared by CNN, the sports icon was seen outside the U.K. Parliament building wearing a black suit with a matching ascot.

"We all want to be here together, we all want to experience something where we celebrate the amazing life of our Queen," Beckham said while speaking to reporters, per CNN. "You know something like this today is meant to be shared together. So, you know the fact that we've been here. We're eating Pringles. We're eating Sherbet Lemons, sandwiches and coffee." In additional comments to ITV News, Beckham said that he "grew up in a household of royalists" and was waiting to pay his respects to the Queen because he believes that's what his grandparents would have done if they were still alive. 

He also noted that he was very lucky to have met Queen Elizabeth on multiple occasions, stemming from his time with the national English football team. "You know I always wanted to represent my country, to be captain in my country," he said, "and every time that we stood there when we wore those Three Lion shirts, and I had my armband and we sang, you know, 'God save our Queen.' That was something that meant so much to us."

Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning royal monarch of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms, died on Thursday, Sept. 8, at 96 years old. Her death comes just under 18 months after the death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, her husband of more than 73 years. The Queen died at Balmoral, her beloved palace in the Scottish Highlands, which was purchased by her great-great-grandfather Prince Albert for Queen Victoria in 1852. She was surrounded by her children and grandchildren. Charles, her eldest son — and Harry's father — succeeds her as leader of the British monarchy.

On Wednesday, Queen Elizabeth II's casket was taken from Buckingham Palace and transported to Westminster in a procession that included a number of the Royal Family members, such as Prince Harry and his brother Prince William. The queen's casket will now lie in state at Westminster Abbey until the date of her official funeral. That is to be held on Monday, Sept. 19.

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