David Beckham wiped away tears as he paid tribute to the Queen as she lay in rest.
The nation has been sent into a 10-day period of mourning following the Queen's death. Her coffin arrived at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday but will lay in state in Westminister Hall until her funeral scheduled to take place on Monday.
Since then, the public has lined the streets of London waiting to pay their respects to the monarch with wait times reaching 24 hours. Amongst those was football star David Beckham who braved the wait for 12 hours.
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David, who was honoured with an OBE by the Queen, shared a message to the family not long after she passed. He said: "I’m truly saddened by the death of Her Majesty, The Queen. What an outpouring of love and respect we saw for the Platinum Jubilee for her life 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 when times were tough. Until her last days she served her country with dignity and grace. This year she would have known how loved she was. My thoughts and prayers are with our Royal Family."
His wait to see the Queen as she lies in the state began at 2 am this morning, the Manchester Evening News reported. He went early to try and avoid the crowds. However, he was spotted by fellow well-wishers, with pictures of him circulating on social media before he was interviewed by ITV.
David looked emotional as he made his way down the steps inside Westminster Hall. He appeared to wipe away a tear as he approached the side of the coffin before taking a moment to pause. He then bowed before moving on with the rest of the crowds who had also paid their final respects.
He had earlier told ITV news that he was their to represent his family and said if his grandparents were here, they'd too want to wait to see the Queen for the final time. A keen royalist, due to his family's keen love and interest in the royal family, said he felt “lucky” to have spent time with the Queen and remembered the moment he was made an OBE.
He said: "To step up, to get my honour, but then also Her Majesty, to ask questions, to talk, I was so lucky that I was able to have a few moments like that in my life, to be around Her Majesty. Because we can all see with the love that has been shown, how special she is and how special she was and the legacy that she leaves behind. It’s a sad day, but it’s a day for us to remember the incredible legacy that she’s left."
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You can light a candle for Queen Elizabeth II here or leave a tribute to her here
