Football icon David Beckham to be knighted

David Beckham (R) chats with King Charles III. Photo by Instagram/@davidbeckham

This honor will give the former football star the title "Sir David Beckham". His wife, Victoria, will also gain the courtesy title of "Lady Beckham."

Beckham’s path to knighthood has been far from smooth. Originally nominated in 2011, the honor took 14 years to be granted. In 2017, leaked emails reportedly showed Beckham expressing frustration with the honors system and criticizing the knighthood committee. His representatives later claimed the emails had been staged. That same year, he was also linked to a tax avoidance controversy involving his investment in the movie "Ingenious", according to The Guardian.

In 2021, Beckham was cleared financially and deemed eligible for a knighthood. However, his appointment as an ambassador for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar drew criticism in England due to the nation's human rights record. Despite the backlash, Beckham remained involved with the event and received millions for his role.

Later in 2022, Beckham earned public admiration for queuing 13 hours to pay his respects to Queen Elizabeth II at her funeral, while many celebrities faced criticism for bypassing the line. His act was seen as humble and respectful, helping restore his image in the public eye, The Sun reported.

Since then, Beckham has strengthened ties with the royal family, particularly King Charles III and Prince William. In 2023, he was named an ambassador for The King's Foundation and discovered a shared passion for gardening with him. The Beckhams also attended a state banquet at Buckingham Palace in December 2024 to welcome the Emir of Qatar.

Recently, Beckham was featured on the cover of Time magazine as one of the world's most influential philanthropists. His popularity has also been bolstered by the success of the Beckham documentary series released on Netflix in 2023.

Born on May 2, 1975, in London, Beckham began his football journey with Tottenham Hotspur’s youth academy before joining Manchester United at age 16. He spent 12 years at Old Trafford, winning six Premier League titles, one Champions League and later added La Liga (with Real Madrid) and Ligue 1 (with PSG) to his accolades. Known for his wonderful free kicks, pinpoint crosses and model-like appearance, Beckham also played for LA Galaxy and AC Milan before hanging up his boots.

Post-retirement, Beckham became a co-owner of Inter Miami in the U.S. and Salford City in England. He is also a long-time ambassador for UNICEF.

Beckham captained the England national team from 2000 to 2006, though he never won a major international title. He now joins a distinguished group of football figures who have received knighthoods, including Sir Bobby Charlton, Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Kenny Dalglish, Sir Geoff Hurst, Sir Stanley Matthews, Sir Bobby Robson and more recently, Sir Gareth Southgate.