David Beckham, Tilda Swinton and other celebrities who queued to see Queen Elizabeth II lying-in-state
- Hundreds of thousands of people queued to see Queen Elizabeth II lying-in-state last week in London.
- The queen died earlier this month and her funeral takes place Monday in London.
Tilda Swinton, David Beckham, and other celebrities were spotted queuing to see Queen Elizabeth II lying-in-state in London.
The British monarch died earlier this month at the age of 96.
Last week, members of the public were able to see the Queen's coffin in Westminster Hall and pay their respects. However, the queues for the occasion stretched over four miles and people were warned it could take up to 30 hours to reach the hall.
On Friday, Beckham was spotted standing in the queue with the rest of the public. He told reporters, according to a video posted on Twitter, that he had been queueing since 2:15 a.m. local time.
"We all want to be here together, we all want to experience something where we celebrate the amazing life of our Queen," he said. "We all go through this pain to be here today."
On Wednesday, former "The Talk" host Sharon Osbourne also spoke to ITV News while standing in the queue. "I love the Queen and I came over for this because I'm a royalist and I love the royal family," she said.
Swinton, who is best known for her roles in "Doctor Strange" and "Snowpiercer," was captured by a BBC live stream within Westminster Hall bowing her head toward the Queen's coffin.
Some British stars, such as ITV's "This Morning" hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield, were criticized on Twitter for appearing to jump the queue.
ITV said in a statement that Willoughby and Schofield were at Westminster Abbey for professional reasons.
"They did not jump the queue, have VIP access or file past the Queen lying in state – but instead were there in a professional capacity as part of the world's media to report on the event," the broadcaster said on its Instagram Story.
Singer James Blunt also joked on Twitter about being "ushered to the front" of the queue after being spotted.
"Good Morning Britain" host Susanna Reid wrote about her time in the queue to see the Queen's coffin on Thursday and provided tips for mourners who also planned to visit.
"Evening - along with my lovely mum and her very good friend, I have just experienced a moment in history - witnessing the Queen lying in state in Westminster Hall. At once majestic and peaceful," she wrote in a Twitter thread.