When it came time to claim a knighthood, football legend David Beckham knew what he had to do. He bent his knee like Beckham.
King Charles III tapped him on the shoulder with the blade of his sword and “Bex” turned into Sir David Beckham.
“This is without a doubt my proudest moment,” Beckham said after the ceremony held on Tuesday at Windsor Castle. “Obviously I’ve been very fortunate in my career to have won what I’ve won and done what I’ve done, but to have an honor like this, a knighthood, is beyond anything I ever thought I would have.” This honor represents the culmination of Beckham’s efforts to rehabilitate his image in the wake of events that at times alienated him from the masses during a long and distinguished career.
He also had a very public persona as a model, husband of Victoria “Posh” Beckham of the Spice Girls and the muse of the film “Bend it Like Beckham.”
The 50-year-old was knighted for services to sport and charity, having partnered with UNICEF, the United Nations children’s fund, for two decades and campaigned with the charity working to eradicate malaria. He also played a pivotal role in London being awarded the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Nobel Prize-winning novelist Kazuo Ishiguro, author of “The Remains of the Day” and previously knighted, was honored at Tuesday’s ceremony as a Companion of Honor for Literature. Iconic singer and musical actress Ellen Page has been awarded a Dame, the female equivalent of a knighthood.
Beckham is the only English footballer to have scored in three different World Cup finals, and his career includes the 1999 treble-winning campaign, when Manchester United won the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.
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With 115 caps for England, Beckham is third on the all-time list. He also led the team on 59 occasions.
After leaving Manchester United in 2003 – a move that devastated fans – Beckham played for Real Madrid, Los Angeles Galaxy and Paris Saint-Germain. He now co-owns the Inter Miami soccer team.
His career reached its lowest point at the 1998 World Cup in France, where Beckham was widely criticized for his violent kick to Argentina’s Diego Simeone, leading to him being sent off and leaving the team without a player. Many fans blamed him for England’s exit.
In the 2023 Netflix documentary series Beckham, he described the abuse he suffered, which included a doll of himself hanging from a noose outside a London pub.
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“I knew it was bad at the time, but reviewing the whole thing was very difficult,” he told The Associated Press at the time.
Beckham’s knighthood was announced in June during the King’s Birthday Honors List. The awards, which are also handed out on New Year’s Day, recognize contributions to British life.
(tags for translation) David Beckham Equestrian Gala King Charles III Windsor Castle
