Former England football captain David Beckham has officially received his knighthood from King Charles III at Windsor Castle, describing the honour as his “proudest moment.”
Gatekeepers News reports that Beckham, 50, who earned 115 caps for England and starred for clubs including Manchester United and Real Madrid, was knighted for his contributions to sport and charity.
Speaking after the ceremony, Beckham said it was “quite a moment” for “a boy from the east end of London” to be honoured by the monarch.
“This is without doubt my proudest moment,” he told the PA news agency. “To be 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.”
The football icon attended the investiture with his wife, Victoria Beckham, who designed the grey suit he wore for the occasion, along with his parents, Ted and Sandra. Victoria, a former Spice Girl turned fashion designer, became Lady Beckham following the announcement of his knighthood in June.
Beckham revealed that King Charles complimented his outfit during the ceremony.
“He’s kind of the most elegantly dressed man that I know,” Beckham said. “He inspired quite a few of my looks over the years… I looked at old pictures of him when he was quite young in morning suits and thought, ‘OK, that’s what I want to wear,’ so I gave it to my wife and she did it.”
The knighthood marks the pinnacle of Beckham’s journey from footballer to global cultural icon. He has long expressed admiration for the British monarchy and said the recognition was beyond anything he ever expected.
“I’ve been very 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 I would receive,” he said.
Beckham had previously been tipped for the honour after his role in helping London secure the 2012 Olympic Games, but the process was reportedly delayed due to an alleged tax scheme — from which he was later cleared.
