David Beckham will become a Sir when he is awarded a knighthood in the King’s Birthday Honours list next week with wife Victoria to be known as Lady Beckham
David Beckham will finally be awarded a knighthood in the King’s Birthday Honours list next week. His wife Victoria will be known as Lady Beckham.
The England and Manchester United icon finally becomes a Sir after calls for years to see him given the honour, the Sun reports. Beckham, who turned 50 back at the start of May, has been a British icon for years and had long been tipped to become another of football’s Sirs.
Beckham, who played 115 times for England, has continued to make notable donations to charity. He has also struck up a firm friendship with King Charles. The monarch dropped a hint last month when Beckham greeted Charles and Queen Camilla at the Chelsea Flower Show.
Charles asked him: “You got it, didn’t you?” Before Beckham replied: “It was incredible, thank you. It was very kind.”
The now Inter Miami co-owner made his name in Manchester, rising through the ranks before becoming England captain. His goal that saw the Three Lions qualify for the World Cup in 2002 remains one of his greatest moments.
His profile exceeded football and he went on to play for the likes of Real Madrid, AC Milan and LA Galaxy before calling time on his career. Beckham remains adored by the public and actions, like queueing to pay his respects to Queen Elizabeth, only saw the love for him increase.
The 49-year-old had been kept waiting in his bid to earn a knighthood, after failing to add to the OBE award he was given back in 2003. Years ago shocking emails were leaked in 2017, which may have set him back in his goal to receive a knighthood.
He is said to have claimed he “didn’t care about being knighted” – though the ex-midfielder has claimed some of the leaked emails had been doctored. The leaked emails claim Beckham said: “I expected nothing less. It’s a disgrace to be honest and if I was American I would of got something like this 10 years ago.”
A close friend of Beckham exclusively told The Mirror in 2017: “To be honest, he does feel that he has given so much to his country. And sometimes you say things in private that anyone would say and you don’t really mean it.
David will now be a Sir, while Victoria will be referred to as Lady Beckham (
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)
“While he was frustrated in those emails, he was over it the moment he sent them. Getting the knighthood is not what his work is about. He doesn’t care if he gets a knighthood or not.”
Beckham was appointment as an ambassador to HM’s charity the King’s Foundation, which was seen as an encouraging sign earlier last year, but his tax affairs had once been viewed as a possible barrier to becoming a Sir in the past before that was eventually ironed out.
Beckham said at the time: “I’m excited to be working with The King’s Foundation and to have the opportunity to help raise awareness of the charity’s work. I’ve always been keen to help young people to expand their horizons and I’m particularly looking forward to supporting the Foundation’s education programmes and its efforts to ensure young people have greater access to nature.
David Beckham has struck up a firm relationship with King Charles (
Image:
PA)
“Having developed a love for the countryside I’m also on a personal mission to learn more about rural skills which is so central to the Foundation’s work. It was inspiring to hear from The King about the work of His Majesty’s Foundation during my recent visit to Highgrove Gardens — and compare beekeeping tips.”
In 2020 Golden Balls also teamed up with the Chelsea Pensioners as he backed The Sun’s campaign to save the Poppy Appeal amid the devastating Covid lockdown.
He will join an impressive list of sports stars who have been knighted, including Manchester icons Sir Alex Ferguson and the late Sir Bobby Charlton.
