David Beckham, one of the United Kingdom’s most acclaimed footballers, has been knighted by King Charles at Windsor Castle in recognition of his long-standing contributions to sport and philanthropy.
The 50-year-old former England captain received the honour at the royal residence, more than two decades after he was granted another royal award acknowledging his achievements in football.
Beckham attended the ceremony wearing a suit designed by his wife, Victoria Beckham, who is now a fashion designer after rising to fame as a member of the Spice Girls.
He and King Charles were seen exchanging a brief but warm conversation, with the monarch smiling and laughing during their interaction.
Following the ceremony, Beckham told reporters he became emotional when he first learned of the knighthood.
“It’s such a big moment for our family and it’s so special,” Beckham said, adding with humour that he would not mind if his children referred to him as “sir dad”.
“I’m very proud to have such a special honour given to me. I grew up in a very humble background in the east End of London; always wanted to be a professional footballer; and then I’m stood here at Windsor Castle with the most important monarchy in the world,” he said, noting that “it doesn’t get any better”.
Beckham made his Premier League debut for Manchester United in 1995, two years after joining the club as a trainee. He went on to win six league titles, two FA Cups and the Champions League with United, before moving on to play for Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.
He retired in 2013 after earning 115 caps for England.
Celebrated for his dead-ball precision and crossing ability, Beckham also became one of the most commercially successful athletes of his generation.
According to the 2025 Sunday Times Rich List, he and his wife have a combined net worth of 500 million pounds ($A1 billion).
Beckham has long expressed admiration for the royal family, once describing himself as a “huge royalist”.
In 2022, he queued for more than 12 hours to pay his respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II as she lay in state at Westminster Hall – declining offers to bypass the line.
“I grew up in a household of royalists,” he told ITV at the time.
“If my grandparents would have been alive today, I know that they would have wanted to be here.”
Beckham has also attended major royal events over the years, including Prince William and Kate Middleton’s 2011 wedding, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s 2018 wedding.
Images: Instagram
