Queen Elizabeth’s funeral: Victoria Beckham says meeting Her Majesty was my ‘proudest moment’
Victoria Beckham calls it her proudest moment - meeting the Queen during the height of the Spice Girls glory days.
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Victoria Beckham has shared a heartfelt throwback of her meeting the Queen during the height of the Spice Girls glory days.
Posh Spice, 48, posted the snap on her Instagram story, showing her with bandmate Emma Bunton with Her Majesty in the group’s heyday.
Adding a touching tribute, the fashion designer said: “One of my proudest @spicegirls moments was meeting Her Majesty the Queen at the Royal Command in 1997.
“I’m so grateful for this memory.”
Victoria’s sweet throwback comes after her husband David, 47, was praised for queuing for almost 14 hours to see the Queen lying in state.
Football legend Beckham wiped away tears as he stood over the coffin of the Queen after waiting in line to pay his respects.
The 8km queue was temporarily shut down after reaching capacity at the weekend, but reopened after Londoners continued to line up anyway.
At least 435 mourners in queue were treated by ambulance and at least 42 hospitalised as wait times blew out to a full 24 hours.
“This day was always going to be a difficult day,” the former England football captain told reporters.
“Our thoughts are with the family, it’s very special to hear all of the stories from people here.”
Dressed in a dark suit, tie and cap, he said his most “special moment” was receiving his OBE from the Queen.
“I took my grandparents with me who were huge royalists,” he said.
“I was so lucky that I was able to have a few moments like that in my life to be around Her Majesty.
“It’s a sad day, but a day to remember.”
The line slowed even more as Beckham took a few selfies with fans.
“The queue is now full of people trying to photograph David Beckham and forgetting to actually move onwards,” said Jules Birkby on Twitter.
“It’s madness! I feel a bit sorry for him, but he’s taking it very well.”
Here he is in the background! Photo taken by my new queue buddy @OliverAngovepic.twitter.com/SYfURZzQi4
— Jules Birkby (@NowThenSunshine) September 16, 2022
After joining the queue at around 2am local time, Beckham finally bowed before the Queen’s coffin about 13.5 hours later at 3.30pm local time.
“I thought by coming at 2am, it was going to be a little bit quieter – I was wrong,” he told ITV.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport announced the Southwark Park queue reached capacity at an 8km, 14-hour wait time.
They paused for at least six hours for general admission, accessible entry, and those with special wristbands. But the queue was reopened within hours with warnings of further shutdowns.
“Expected queuing time is over 24 hours. The queue may be paused again if it reaches capacity,” the department said.
The National Health Services said hundreds of people fainted and collapsed in the queue for the late Queen, with the ambulance service caring for at least 435 patients.
The London Ambulance Service (LAS) has drawn up plans to deploy an extra 300 staff on the day of the state funeral.
A MILLION PEOPLE TO FILE PAST QUEEN’S COFFIN
Up to a million people are expected to file past Her Majesty’s coffin as her coffin continues the journey to its final resting place.
That’s five times more than the 200,000 people who saw the Queen Mother in 2002, The Sun reports.
It is anticipated members of the public will wait in queues for hours for the privilege amid tight security. Videos and photos are strictly banned.
The Queen’s funeral will take place at Westminster Abbey on Monday, September 19 at 11am local time (8pm AEST), Buckingham Palace has confirmed.
“Prior to the State Funeral, the Queen will Lie-in-State in Westminster Hall for four days, to allow the public to pay their respects,” the royal family announced via Twitter.
Further details were confirmed by the Earl Marshal, the Duke of Norfolk, on the carefully choreographed London Bridge plans which include the four-day lying in state at Westminster Hall in London.
On Tuesday local time, the coffin travelled from Scotland by Royal Air Force aircraft from Edinburgh Airport, arriving at RAF Northolt on the outskirts of London later that evening.
Princess Anne accompanied the Queen’s coffin on its final journey to England. The coffin was conveyed to Buckingham Palace by road, to rest in the Bow Room.
On Wednesday afternoon, the coffin travelled on a Gun Carriage of the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster.
The Procession travelled via Queen’s Gardens, The Mall, Horse Guards and Horse Guards Arch, Whitehall, Parliament Street, Parliament Square and New Palace Yard.
After the coffin arrives at Westminster Hall, the Archbishop of Canterbury will conduct a short service assisted by Dr David Hoyle, Dean of Westminster, and attended by King Charles and members of the Royal Family, after which the lying-in-state will begin.
Thousands of people will be able to file past to see the late monarch’s coffin as she lies in state “four clear days” in Westminster Hall until 6.30am on the morning of her funeral, a senior palace official said.
The coffin will then be taken in procession from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey, where the Queen’s State Funeral will take place at 11am (8pm AEST).
Following the State Funeral, the coffin will travel in procession from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch.
From Wellington Arch, the Coffin will travel to Windsor and once there, the State Hearse will travel in procession to St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle via the Long Walk.
A Committal Service will then take place in St George’s Chapel.
A spokesman for the King said the monarch’s main focus will be leading the royal family and nation in mourning over the coming days.
“While, in the next few days, the King will carry out all the necessary state duties, his main focus will be leading the royal family, the nation, the Realms and the Commonwealth in mourning Her Majesty The Queen. This will include meeting members of the public, to share in their grief,” the spokesman said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed Australians will be given a day off to mark the death of the Queen.
A National Day of Mourning has been declared for September 22, the Thursday after Mr Albanese returns from the Queen’s funeral in London.
“It will be a one-off national public holiday. That’s to allow people to pay their respects for the passing of Queen Elizabeth,” the Prime Minister told the ABC.
“I spoke to all Premiers and chief ministers yesterday and I’m writing to them formally this morning, they will have received their letters by now. They have all agreed that it’s appropriate that it be a one-off national public holiday.”
Originally published as Queen Elizabeth’s funeral: Victoria Beckham says meeting Her Majesty was my ‘proudest moment’
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