David Beckham Cries While Visiting Queen Elizabeth II’s Coffin, Waited Over 12 Hours to Pay His Respects

usmagazine.com:

An emotional goodbye. David Beckham struggled to hold back tears while visiting the late Queen Elizabeth II as she lies in state before her funeral.The retired soccer pro, 47, was one of thousands of mourners to pay respects at Westminster Hall, where the queen’s casket has been held since her royal procession from Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, September 14.

According to the Daily Mail, Beckham waited 13 hours in a queue extending five miles before finally being able to approach the coffin.Cameras caught the British athlete wiping away his tears as he waited inside the chapel on Friday, September 16.

He later shielded his face with his hands as he stood with others hoping to bid farewell to the monarch.Wearing a black suit and matching cap, Beckham expressed his sincere condolences to the royal family for their loss. “I was so lucky I was able to have a few moments in my life to be around Her Majesty,” he told ITV News on Friday. “[This is] a sad day but it’s a day to remember the incredible legacy she left. … It’s special to be here to celebrate, and to hear the different stories that people have to say.”The former Manchester United star noted that his family always had a soft spot for Elizabeth, who died at age 96 on September 8 at her Balmoral estate in Scotland. “I grew up in a household of royalists and I was brought up that way,” he said. “I know that [my grandparents] would have wanted to be here, so I’m here on their behalf and on behalf of my family.”In June 2003, Beckham was appointed an OBE (Order of the British Empire) as part of Her Majesty’s annual list of birthday honors.

The title was bestowed to recognize his impressive soccer career.“Every time that we stood there when we wore those Three Lion shirts