Skip to main contentSkip to footer
King Charles speaking to David Beckham's ear© AFP via Getty Images

'Emotional' David Beckham breaks silence on receiving his knighthood

The former footballer was named in the King's Birthday Honours

HELLO!
Senior Evening Writer
Deputy Beauty and Lifestyle Editor
2 days ago
Share this:

Congratulations are in order for David Beckham, who received a knighthood in this year's Birthday Honours, being honoured for his services to sport and charity. 

David is one of the nation's most famous footballers, and captained the national team for six years during his stint on the pitch. Since retirement, he has been involved in several charitable endeavours, while also raising his four children: Brooklyn, 26, Romeo, 22, Cruz, 20 and Harper, 13.

Of the emotional occasion, David said: "Growing up in East London with parents and grandparents who were so patriotic and proud to be British, I never could have imagined I would receive such a truly humbling honour.

"To have played for and captained my country was the greatest privilege of my career and literally a boyhood dream come true. Off the pitch, I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to represent Britain around the world and work with incredible organisations that are supporting communities in need and inspiring the next generation.

Meryl Streep, David Beckham and Kate Winslet attend the King's Foundation Awards ceremony, on the 35th anniversary of The King's Foundation, at St James's Palace on June 12, 2025 in London, England. © Getty Images
David Beckham is delighted with his Knighthood

"I'm so lucky to be able to do the work that I do and I'm grateful to be recognised for work that gives me so much fulfilment. It will take a little while for the news to sink in but I'm immensely proud and it's such an emotional moment for me to share with my family."

As we celebrate David's knighthood, revisit the football and charity work that earned him the honour...

David Beckham's football career

Set on becoming a professional footballer since childhood, David joined Manchester United as a trainee in his teens, forming part of the class of 1992 that won the FA Youth Cup, along with Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville.

The sports star made his Premier League debut for 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.

David's fortune was earned off the back of his incredibly successful football career © Getty Images
David's had an incredibly successful football career

In total, he scored 85 goals and collected honours including six Premier League titles and two FA Cups as a footballer, before retiring from the sport in 2013, after stints with LA Galaxy and Real Madrid, among others.

David Beckham's charity work

Alongside his football career, Sir David - as he is now known - has supported a number of charity causes and launched a fundraising appeal for Unicef in April ahead of his 50th birthday.

He has served as a Goodwill Ambassador for the humanitarian aid organisation Unicef since 2005 and is a founding member of the charity Malaria No More UK’s leadership council.

King Charles and David Beckham laughing together© Getty Images
King Charles and David Beckham work together on charitable efforts

Last year, the former sports star, who has described himself as a "huge Royalist", was named an ambassador for the King's Foundation, an educational charity established by the King in 1990.

In February, Sir David appeared in a video helping to launch the hunt for "35 under 35", a network of influencers who can fly the flag for the charity which reflects the King's vision, further cementing his charity work with the royal family. 

Join HELLO! Daily and get the latest celebrity news, exclusive interviews, and top stories

By entering your details, you are agreeing to HELLO! Magazine User Data Protection Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information please click here.

More Celebrity News

See more
OSZAR »