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Hidden among the crowd, David Beckham waited more than 13 hours yesterday to pay his respects to the Queen, despite being given the chance to jump in line by an MP.
Dressed in a suit that concealed his famous tattoos, a cap and a Covid mask, the former England captain, 47, joined mourners in the ‘Elizabeth line’ at 2 a.m., undetected by the crowd for hours as he shuffled his way from Southwark Park to Westminster Hall.
Along with those around him, who initially helped keep his secret, Beckham said he survived on the very unfootballer-like diet of “Pringles, lemon sorbet, sandwiches, coffee and donuts.”
“We all want to be here together. We all want to experience something where we celebrate our Queen’s wonderful life and I think something like this is meant to be shared today,” he told BBC News.
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder finally saw his cover blown up shortly after noon, when members of the public took to social media to share the news that he was there.
The Daily Mail can reveal that Beckham was invited to view Her Majesty’s casket by a Member of Parliament, who can bring up to four guests, to stand in line. But he declined the offer, saying his grandfather Joseph West – a staunch royalist and the man the footballer has called his “real hero” – would have been disappointed.
Football legend David Beckham bowed his head in solemn tribute to Her Majesty The Queen at Westminster Hall
Beckham had been offered the chance to skip the line by an MP but he declined the offer, saying his grandfather Joseph West – a staunch royalist and the man who called the footballer his ‘real hero’ – would have been disappointed
A source said: ‘David could have avoided all the queues, but he wanted to be like everyone else. He said his grandpa wouldn’t have done that [jumped the queue] so neither does he. He’d been wondering all week when was the best time to go and finally he went for this morning.
David grew up in an East End family who were real royalists – the kind that would be in the spotlight when the national anthem was played. He wanted to see the Queen like any other member of the public.”
Beckham also chose to dress in a suit because he said his grandfather, who died in 2009 at the age of 83, would have done so.
After queuing for 13 hours, Beckham looked emotional as he walked past the coffin to pay his respects and at one point wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. As England captain, he met the Queen several times and received his OBE from her in 2003.
“Every time we stood there when we wore those Three Lion shirts and I had my bracelet, and we sang God save our Queen, that was something that meant so much to us. Every time we did it was something special,” Beckham told reporters.
“So this day would always be difficult. It’s hard for the nation, it’s hard for everyone around the world because I think everyone is feeling it, and our thoughts are with the family and of course everyone here today. Because it’s special to be here, to celebrate and hear the different stories people have to tell. I thought coming at 2am would make it a bit quieter – I was wrong.
He has regularly shared on his Instagram about his fondness for her and when she passed away last week he wrote: ‘I am really saddened by the passing of Her Majesty The Queen’
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder finally saw his cover blown up shortly after noon, when members of the public took to social media to share the news that he was there
“Probably the most special moment for me was when I got my OBE. I took my grandparents, who really raised me to be a huge royalist and a fan of the royal family, and of course I had my wife there too.
‘To get up, to get my honor, but also Her Majesty, to ask questions, to talk, I was so lucky to have been able to experience a few moments in my life.
“Because we can all see with the love that was shown, how special she was and the legacy she leaves behind. It’s a sad day, but it’s a day for us to remember the incredible legacy she left behind.”
He has shared his fondness for her on his Instagram regularly and when she passed away last week, he wrote: ‘I am truly saddened by the passing of Her Majesty The Queen. What an outpouring of love and respect we saw for the platinum anniversary for her lifetime of service.
“How devastated we all feel today, shows what she has meant to people in this country and around the world. How much she inspired us with her leadership. How she comforted us in difficult times.’
When asked how the queue had been on its knees, he replied, “The knees are fine, it’s the back and the feet.”
A woman who had queued next to Beckham told BBC News: ‘Great respect for him. He has stood by us and paid his respects as he pleases and I love that.”
Other celebrities lining up included Good Morning Britain presenter Susanna Reid, who waited more than seven hours with her mother to see the Queen’s coffin laid out in state.
The 51-year-old announcer wrote on Twitter: “I have just experienced a moment in history… at once majestic and peaceful.”