(NewsNation) — Former England football star David Beckham joined the mileslong queue of people waiting to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II as she lies in state.
Beckham was spotted in the line of mourners near Britain’s Houses of Parliament at lunchtime Friday. He’s believed to have joined the queue at 2 a.m. and to have lined up for more than 10 hours. Wearing a white shirt and black tie, he bowed briefly to the coffin before moving out of Westminster Hall.
“We have been lucky as a nation to have had someone who has led us the way her majesty has led us, for the amount of time, with kindness, with caring and always reassurance,” Beckham said. “I think that’s the one thing that we all felt safe and we will continue that with the royal family. But I think her majesty was someone special and will be missed, not just by everyone in our country but everyone around the world.”
Officials temporarily halted people joining the back of the line 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.