David Beckham has been bestowed a knighthood by King Charles III, an occasion the retired British football icon characterized as his “proudest moment.”
The erstwhile captain of England’s national team was presented with the knighthood in recognition of his contributions to athletics and philanthropy during a Tuesday ceremony at Windsor Castle.
The event also saw Japanese-British novelist and screenwriter Kazuo Ishiguro, alongside West End and Broadway performer Elaine Paige, receive their own honors.
Beckham’s inclusion had been announced earlier this year as part of the King’s Birthday Honours list.
“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 honor like this, of a knight, is beyond anything that I ever thought that I would receive,” Beckham told Britain’s PA Media news agency after the ceremony.
“To be honest, a young boy from the east end of London, born in Leytonstone, and here at Windsor Castle, being honored by His Majesty the King, the most important and the most respected institution in the world – it’s quite a moment,” he added.
He was joined at the ceremony by his wife, Victoria, who was responsible for creating the suit he wore to accept the distinction.
The father of four mentioned that the King had “inspired quite a few” of his sartorial choices over time. “I looked at old pictures of him when he was quite young in morning suits and I was like, ‘OK, that’s what I want to wear,’ so I gave it to my wife and she did it.”
He added that King Charles “was quite impressed” with his suit.
This prestigious honor arrives more than twenty years after the 50-year-old, who earned 115 caps for England and secured league championships in four separate nations, was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II.
Beckham, who concluded his professional football career in 2013, also serves as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador. In 2015, he established the “7” fund, named for the number on his renowned Manchester United jersey, to aid children endangered by threats such as the Ebola crisis.
He made a significant return to the world of soccer in 2018 upon being granted a Major League Soccer franchise in Miami, Florida, which led to the formation of the football club Inter Miami.
Beckham maintains a positive working relationship with King Charles, having swapped “beekeeping tips” with him in the Cotswolds, England, last year when he took on an ambassador role for The King’s Foundation.