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David Beckham has finally become a Sir after being knighted at Windsor Castle in front of his wife, Victoria, and his parents. The former England captain was knighted for his services to sport and charity. After years of missing out, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star was finally selected in the King’s Birthday Honours list and received his honour on Tuesday.
Wearing a slick grey suit tailor-made for the occasion and a beaming smile, Beckham bowed towards The King before he was officially knighted in his ceremony at Windsor Castle. Sir David's wife Victoria and his parents, Ted and Sandra, were present as the legendary former footballer, who remains the only British player to win league titles in four different countries, received the honour.
The 50-year-old, who has described himself as a 'huge royalist', was awarded an OBE in 2003 but had repeatedly missed out on a knighthood in the past before he was informed back in the summer. He said at the time that he was 'immensely proud' and revealed that his wife had been reduced to tears after discovering that he had been approached by the King.
Speaking after being knighted, Beckham told the PA news agency: “He was quite impressed with my suit. He’s kind of the most elegantly dressed man that I know, so he inspired quite a few of my looks over the years and he definitely inspired this look.
“It was something that my wife made me. I looked at old pictures of him when he was quite young in morning suits and I was like, OK, that’s what I want to wear, so I gave it to my wife and she did it.”
He added: “I’ve been very obviously lucky in my career to have won what I’ve won and done what I’ve done but to receive an honour like this, of a knight, is beyond anything that I ever thought that I would receive,” Sir David told PA.
“To be honest, a young boy from the east end of London, born in Leytonstone, and here at Windsor Castle, being honoured by His Majesty the King – the most important and the most respected institution in the world – it’s quite a moment.
“This is without doubt my proudest moment." On why he felt he was given the honour, Sir David said: “I think mostly it’s because of the career that I’ve had and the teams that I’ve played for and the things that I’ve won and the respect that I’ve gained throughout my career, and I think that that is why people listen to me,” he said.
“And I think it’s a very powerful tool to have in charity. I just found very quickly that we could make change with things that I said and things that I got involved in and I think that’s why it’s so important to me.
“All the things that I do, I do out of love,” he went on. I don’t do it because I’m forced to do it, I don’t do it because I have to do it, I do it because it’s important.”
Also among the personalities to be honoured on Tuesday were Nobel Prize-winning novelist Sir Kazuo Ishiguro and West End performer Dame Elaine Paige. Rugby League icon Billy Boston was also knighted, while Alistair Brownlee, Deta Hedman and Devon Malcolm were awarded OBE’s in King Charles’ Birthday Honours.
Beckham made his Premier League debut for Manchester United in 1995 and was part of the team that earned a dramatic Champions League final victory in 1999 when they beat Bayern Munich with two late goals. He then went on to play for Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.
In total, he scored 85 goals and collected honours, including six Premier League titles and two FA Cups, before retiring from the sport in 2013. Alongside his football career, Sir David has supported a number of charity causes, including serving as a goodwill ambassador for the humanitarian aid organisation UNICEF since 2005.
He was also named an ambassador for the King’s Foundation, an educational charity established by the King in 1990.