David Beckham ‘turned down chance’ to skip line to visit Queen’s coffin because ‘grandad wouldn’t have jumped queue so neither would he’-Sabrina Barr-Entertainment – Metro

David Beckham turned down the chance to skip the queue to visit the Queen’s coffin, opting instead to stay in the line for 13 hours, it’s been reported.

Yesterday, the former professional footballer was among the members of the public who walked for miles to Westminster Hall before tearfully paying his respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, who died last week at the age of 96.

It emerged that MPs and members of the House of the Lords have the option to skip the line, while also being granted the opportunity to take four guests with them.

Beckham, 47, is said to have been invited to join the fast track line by an MP, but turned the offer down, having been defended by presenter Dan Walker over claims he visited the Queen’s coffin for ‘exposure’.

A source claimed that he wanted to ‘be like everyone else’, because his grandfather, who was a royalist, would have waited just as long to honour the Queen.

‘David could have avoided all of the queuing but he wanted to be like everyone else. He said his grandad wouldn’t have [jumped the queue] so neither would he,’ they said, according to the Daily Mail.

Beckham started queuing in the early hours of the morning (Picture: BBC)

He met the Queen on several occasions (Picture: John Stillwell/WPA Pool/Getty Images)

‘He had been wondering all week when the best time was to go and finally he went for this morning.

‘David was brought up in an East End family who were real royalists – the kind who would stand to attention when the national anthem came on. He wanted to go to see the Queen like any other member of the public.’

While speaking to BBC News as he stood in the queue, Beckham shared how he and the people he was waiting with had been sharing snacks including Pringles, sherbert lemons and doughnuts.

Beckham became emotional as he stood in the historic hall (Picture: BBC)

He was pictured flanked by police officers as he left Westminster Hall (Picture: Reuters/Henry Nicholls)

‘We all want to be here together. We all want to experience something where we celebrate the amazing life of our Queen and I think something like this today is meant to be shared together,’ he said, while wearing a smart suit and a flat cap.

Having met the Queen several times and received his OBE from her as former England captain in 2003, Beckham told reporters that ‘this day was always going to be difficult’.

‘I’s special to be here, to celebrate and to hear the different stories that people have to say. I thought by coming at 2am, it was going to be a little bit quieter – I was wrong,’ he said.

The former Manchester United star said it was a ‘special moment’ for him to receive his OBE with his grandparents present, who brought him up to ‘be a huge royalist’.

‘Because we can all see with the love that has been 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 that she’s left,’ he stated.

MORE : Dan Walker slams claim David Beckham visited Queen’s coffin for ‘exposure’: ‘Have a word with yourself’

MORE : Tearful David Beckham pays respects to the Queen after waiting in queue for 13 hours

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