David Beckham Receives Knighthood for Services to Sport and Charity
Manchester United and England legend David Beckham has been knighted in King Charles’s Birthday Honours list. This recognition, awarded for his services to sport and charity, ends Beckham’s long wait for the highest honorary title in Great Britain. The Inter Miami co-owner has been a UNICEF ambassador since 2005 and became an ambassador for King Charles’ charitable foundation, The King’s Foundation, in 2024. Beckham, who was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003, amassed 115 appearances for the English national team, captaining the side in 59 of those matches. He remains the only English player to score in three different World Cups, having participated in all major tournaments with the “Three Lions” between 1998 and 2006.
He helped United win six Premier League titles, including the famous treble in 1999. He also played for Real Madrid during their “Galácticos” era, raised the profile of Major League Soccer by joining LA Galaxy, and enjoyed seasons at AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain before retiring in 2013. In addition, he played an important role in helping London secure the rights to organize the 2012 Olympic Games. Beckham has had to be patient before receiving his knighthood. It was reported that he was first proposed for the title in 2011, but ultimately was unsuccessful. At that time, reports claimed that HM Revenue and Customs vetoed his nomination due to his alleged involvement in a supposed tax evasion scheme. In 2017, several newspapers printed details of Beckham’s leaked emails in which he appeared to criticize the honors system and the honors committee. A spokesperson for the former footballer said at the time that the emails were “hacked”, “manipulated” and “private”. Beckham wasn’t the only notable athlete named on the King’s honors list. Darts prodigy Luke Littler and world number 1 Luke Humphries received MBEs for their services to sport, as did former England international Rachel Daly, who was part of the country’s home triumph at Euro 2022. She announced her retirement from the England national team in April 2024. The Olympic gold medal-winning triathlete, Alistair Brownlee, received an OBE, while British tennis legend Virginia Wade received a CBE.TOBY MELVILLE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
