Former England football captain, David Beckham received his Knighthood from King Charles III at Windsor Castle on Tuesday, November 4, calling the prestigious moment his “proudest moment.”
The 50-year-old football icon, who earned 115 caps for England and played for world-class clubs including Manchester United and Real Madrid, was knighted for his dedicated services to sport and charity.
Beckham shared that it was “quite a moment” for someone from the east end of London to be at Windsor Castle, “being honoured by His Majesty the King—the most important and the most respected institution in the world.” He reiterated to the PA news agency, “This is without doubt my proudest moment.”
Beckham, famously known for his sharp sense of style, attended the investiture ceremony in a grey suit designed by his wife, pop star-turned-fashion designer Victoria Beckham. Victoria accompanied him, along with his parents, Ted and Sandra.
The footballer shared a charming anecdote, saying that the King had been “quite impressed with my suit.” Beckham, who was inspired by old pictures of Charles in morning suits, stated, “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.
Since the honour was announced in June, Beckham has been informally known as “Sir David,” and Victoria as “Lady Beckham.”
Beckham added that receiving the honour was especially significant because he has “always been a huge fan of the monarchy.”
“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,” he commented.
The Knighthood marks the culmination of years of effort to transition from a footballer to a global icon at the intersection of sport, fashion, and business. While he was previously considered for the honour after helping London win the bid for the 2012 Olympic Games, his nomination was initially delayed due to an alleged tax avoidance issue, from which he was subsequently cleared.