Radar Online
Since the passing ofQueen Elizabeth II, many celebrities have given their condolences to the Royal family but none have displayed the respect that David Beckham, 47, did.
Arriving before dawn and dressed in a black suit and tie, Beckham did not attempt to conceal his emotions as he joined the queue of grievers waiting to see the Queen lying in state.
The former captain of England's soccer team continued to wait in line for the next 13 hours. Speaking from the queue to ITV, he stated, “I thought by coming at 2 AM it was going to be a little bit quieter — I was wrong.”
Beckham described himself as a royalist and a “huge fan of the Royal family,” as he spoke highly of the Queen and what it meant to him to be able to join his fellow countrymen in honoring her legacy.
“Her Majesty meant so much in so many different ways,” said the teary-eyed soccer star, who has been close to the Royal family for many years and has historical attended events such as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding in 2018.
“I can speak on my behalf of the amount of times I was able to meet her through my career,” he continued, “Every time we stood there and wore those Three Lions shirts and I had my armband and we sang ‘God Save Our Queen,' that was something that meant so much to us. Every time that we did it, it was something special.”
“This day was always going to be a difficult day,” the former athlete said to interviewers, “Our thoughts are with the family, it's very special to hear all of the stories from people here.”
As one of England's leading athletes for many years, Beckham met with Queen Elizabeth II several times since his rise to fame. It was clear as he spoke with reporters that this was more than just a stunt to see his name in headlines.
“The most special moment for me was to receive my OBE. I took my grandparents with me who were huge royalists,” Beckham recalled on receiving the second highest ranking Order of British Empire (OBE) award from Her Majesty in 2003.
“I was so lucky that I was able to have a few moments like that in my life to be around Her Majesty. It's a sad day, but a day to remember,” he solemnly reflected.
As the world mourns the incredible legacy and reign that spanned seven decades, inappropriate controversies regarding who should be in attendance, including members of the family, have surfaced.
