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David Beckham queues for 12 HOURS to pay his respects to the Queen, buys fellow mourners donuts while waiting in line

'Queue is now full of people trying to photograph David Beckham and forgetting to actually move onwards,' tweeted one fan who spotted the footballer

LONDON, ENGLAND: David Beckham was hailed for queueing with thousands of royal fans to see the Queen lying in state, causing a backlog as fans mobbed the soccer sensation and held up the line.

The 47-year-old star reportedly joined the queue at about 2 am on Friday, September 16, and bought those around him donuts to keep them motivated. Photos shared on social media showed fans near Westminster Hall trying to get a snap of the former athlete as he waited in line to pay his respects to the late monarch, who died on September 8. However, gaps emerged in the queue as some desperately tried to get a picture of him and forgot to keep moving forward.

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The Daily Mail reported how Beckham was seen smiling while wearing a full suit with a black tie and a blue soft cap on his head. The former England soccer captain was hailed for "joining the queue just like the rest of us" by those waiting in line with him. As mentioned, he joined the line around 2 am this morning "thinking it would be quiet" and had been buying those around him donuts.

Speaking to ITV News while in the queue, Beckham said he was attending "on behalf of his family." He said, "It is special to be here to celebrate and to hear the different stories, what people have to say. I grew up in a household of royalists and I was brought up that way. If my grandparents would have been here today I know that they would have wanted to be here. So I am here on their behalf and on behalf of my family and obviously to celebrate with everyone else.” He continued, “I was so lucky I was able to have a few moments in my life to be around Her Majesty. It’s a sad day but it’s a day to remember the incredible legacy she left.” The former athlete then quipped, “I get told off if I hold the line up”, as the interviewer started to walk along in queue with him. He told the outlet that his most special memory of meeting the Queen was being presented with his OBE.

Fans of the former Manchester United star shared his pictures on social media, unable to believe he was queueing just like the rest of them. He was spotted taking a few selfies with fans and thereby causing the queue to halt at times. Twitter user Lee Woodall, who was near him in the queue, gushed, “David Beckham is in the queue with us… fair play for queueing with the rest of us!”

Another well-wisher, Jules Birkby, also shared photos after spotting Beckham in the queue. “The Queue is now full of people trying to photograph David Beckham and forgetting to actually move onwards," she tweeted. “It’s madness! I feel a bit sorry for him, but he’s taking it very well. It’s made me almost forget that we’ve been in The Queue almost TWELVE HOURS though.”

A video from the scene showed the star walking in the queue as fans rushed to stop him for photographs. At one point, he responds politely by saying, "I’m sorry but I can’t hold the line up.”

Last week, the world-famous midfielder shared a tribute to the late Queen on Instagram following news of her passing. “I’m truly saddened by the death of Her Majesty, the Queen," he wrote. "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.”