Twenty-five trophies, 115 appearances for the England national team, participation in five international tournaments, and an array of unforgettable goals mark David Beckham’s illustrious career.

Yet, today marks a new milestone for Beckham, as he finally receives a distinguished honor that had long been missing from his illustrious 21-year career in football and beyond.

Clad in a bespoke suit crafted by his wife, Victoria Beckham, David was knighted by King Charles at Windsor Castle, an accolade recognizing his contributions to both sport and charity.

Accompanied by his devoted wife and proud parents, Ted and Sandra, the 50-year-old Beckham gracefully bowed and knelt before the King. The ceremony was set to the harmonious tunes of a string quartet playing “Golden” by KPop Demon Hunters, as the monarch gently tapped his sword on Beckham’s shoulders.

In recent years, Beckham and King Charles have developed a warm friendship, bonded by their mutual passion for gardening and bees. During the heartfelt investiture ceremony, they shared smiles, shook hands, and exchanged a few words.

After the ceremony, Sir David expressed how emotional he felt receiving such a prestigious honor. He also shared that King Charles had praised the suit Victoria had designed and presented to him as a special gift.

‘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 said.

‘To be honest, a young boy from the east end of London, born in Leytonstone, and 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. This is without doubt my proudest moment’. 

His knighthood marks a pivotal and personally important moment for one of England’s greatest ever footballers. It is also a dream that Sir David Beckham probably never thought would come true after waiting for so long.

Sir David’s son Romeo later posted a Beckham family photo with his parents and siblings Cruz and Harper. But there was no sign of eldest child Brooklyn, with whom there is a high profile rift.

Asked whether he managed to speak to Charles during the ceremony, Sir David said: ‘He was quite impressed with my suit. 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.

‘It was something that my wife made me. 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.’

The father-of-four was knighted alongside Sir Mel Stride, the former Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for his political and public service.

It is certainly a dream come true for Beckham.

As a young child he would travel to Horse Guards Parade to joyfully watch Trooping the Colour with his monarchist grandparents.

Members of his family would religiously stand up for the Queen’s Christmas Day speech.

David will have a small celebration afterwards for close friends and family later. 

His children Romeo, Cruz and Harper are expected to attend – though, sadly, his eldest son Brooklyn and his wife Nicola won’t be in attendance amid a family fall-out.

When it was announced that his father was to be knighted back in the spring, Brooklyn didn’t congratulate him either publicly or privately, while his other two sons made a huge fuss of the news on social media.

Indeed, this time a decade ago, being handed a knighthood was unimaginable for the former England captain.

He was on the cusp of being made a ‘Sir’ back in 2014, but concerns were raised after he was caught up in an alleged tax avoidance scheme, which was later deemed to be legitimate.

And in February 2017 he took aim at the honours committee for taking him off the list for the gong, leaving his hopes of an honour in tatters.

But he has continued with his charity work. The Mail revealed in June that Beckham was nominated for the award by Unicef, the charity that he has worked with for more than 20 years, and the British Fashion Council.

Sources said that both organisations ‘canvassed opinion’ over whether they should have put Beckham forward and received very positive feedback. 

It is understood that some involved with the decision were very impressed with David’s birthday fundraiser, where he asked that instead of presents people donate to the fund to help children – particularly girls – around the world.

His new honour came amid a burgeoning closeness to the King.

They met at the British Fashion Council awards in May 2023 when David gifted him a pot of his homemade honey, ‘D Bee’z Sticky Stuff’, which he makes at the couple’s Grade II-listed barn in Great Tew, Oxfordshire.

The King was stunned to learn about David’s hobby and their conversation quickly turned to their mutual love of bees.

They also met at the Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show in May this year. The King invited him to Highgrove, where he asked him to join his foundation.

Friends of the former England captain say that there was an expectation that he would get the gong at the beginning of the year as part of the New Year Honours but he was pipped to it by Gareth Southgate as he had just resigned as England manager. 

Today Sir David was accompanied by proud parents Ted and Sandra, and his wife Victoria, whose elegant black fitted dress was designed exclusively by her own fashion house for Sir David’s meeting with the King. 

For this special occasion, David and Victoria Beckham all wore custom Victoria Beckham outfits.

Sir David wore a three piece custom morning suit, the first ever tailored menswear piece from Victoria Beckham. 

The suit is crafted from a distinguished British wool mohair blend in a deep charcoal grey, featuring a sharply tailored lamp. 

Victoria wore a custom version of the brand’s iconic Bela dress, featuring an elongated asymmetric hem and made in a beautifully textured rich navy fabric.

To think it all began in a humble back garden in Leytonstone, when playing for Manchester United was still a dream and the infant Beckham was painstakingly perfecting his now legendary set pieces under the watchful eye of dad Ted. 

He would sign for the Premier League giants as a teenage trainee in 1993, a move that would serve as the catalyst for consistent success – both on and off the pitch.

To date, the former Manchester United and England legend remains the only British footballer to win league titles in four different countries, starting with six Premier League titles in England. 

With Sir Alex Ferguson as manager he would also lift the FA Cup twice and serve as a key component in the club’s legendary treble winning season, culminating in a last gasp Champions League defeat of Bayern Munich at Barcelona’s Nou Camp stadium in 1999.   

He would go on to sign for Real Madrid in 2003, joining Brazilian striker Ronaldo and French midfielder Zinedine Zidane as the latest in a long line of Galácticos to represent the legendary Spanish club. 

But he would play through a barren spell for Los Blancos before finally winning his only La Liga title with the club in 2007, shortly before leaving European football for a new challenge in the United States. 

There, he would become an ambassador for the sport through his endeavours with Los Angeles Galaxy, guiding the Western Conference club to a remarkable ten trophies. 

With retirement looming, Sir David’s Indian summer would come in France rather than England, with Paris Saint Germain signing the footballer on a short term contract that would see him end his career with a Ligue 1 title in 2013. 

An England legend, he represented his country 115 times – 58 as captain – after making his debut for the former Three Lions manager Glenn Hoddle against Moldova in 1996. 

But like so many before him a trophy would elude the footballer as he played for five consecutive full time England managers across five consecutive tournaments, including three World Cups. 

There would be plenty of highs though – notably the incredible last minute goal against Greece that secured England their place at the 2002 World Cup finals. 

Away from the pitch, his marriage to fashion designer and former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham in 1999 cemented a celebrity status which went far beyond his sporting exploits. 

Ahead of Tuesday’s ceremony, the Daily Mail revealed that the fashion designer made the suit he he wore while being honoured for his services to sport and charity.

The secret project began in June when the couple learned that the former Manchester United star would be knighted in the King’s Birthday Honours.

‘David teases Victoria that she never makes him any clothes,’ a friend of the couple told the Daily Mail. 

‘So when they found out in the spring that David was going to get his big day at Windsor later in the year, Victoria decided that she had enough time to make it happen.

‘She has never done anything like this before and she was aware it would be time-consuming but Victoria knew the investiture would be some way off,’ a source explained.

‘Victoria got to work, designing the three-piece suit and, as she doesn’t do anything by halves, she threw herself into it and made sure it was absolutely perfect.

‘The fact that David is wearing a Victoria Beckham outfit will make a special day even more special.’

Alongside his football career, he has supported a number of charity causes, including serving as a goodwill ambassador for humanitarian aid organisation UNICEF since 2005.

Last year, Sir David, 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.

‘I’ve always been a huge royalist, I was brought up in a family and household that adored and loved everything with the royal family,’ he told Town & Country in January. 

‘When the King asked me to part of his foundation, I was very honoured, very privileged, I rang my mum straight away.’ 

The former footballer also admitted his wife burst into tears after discovering he had been approached by the King. 

‘She knows my grandparents would have been proud that I have played such an important role in the royal family and the charities that they have,’ he explained.  

‘Our King is an incredible man, he has not just been incredible for the last five, 10 years, he’s been an incredible man for decades. 

‘We have very similar interests, beekeeping … he’s into bees, I’m into bees, he’s into the countryside, I’m into the countryside, he’s into empowering young people so I’m very honored with that role.’ 

January also marked 20 years since Sir David joined UNICEF as an ambassador, a milestone he marked in a special Instagram post looking back at his charity work over the decades.

The emotional video saw the former footballer sitting down to watch his most significant memories across his time at the organisation.

Sharing a clip from his early days at UNICEF, he said: ‘This is the sort of work I want to do. This is what I want to be involved in.’

Looking back at the heart-warming moment, Sir David said: ‘I look young.’

The ex-England captain has helped children across the world, hopping back and forth across eras.

In one clip, he was wearing a suit and tie and giving a speech to a UNICEF meeting, while another showed a tattoo reading, ‘violence marks forever’.

He could also be seen on billboards and stepping out onto a football pitch to address fans.

In another throwback, a shirtless David was mobbed by children playing football on a sandy pitch as the ambassador smiled. 

Various shots saw him shaking hands with people he met across his many trips and watching as children ran around and played sport.

In many, he was holding young children and chatting to schoolchildren in impoverished areas, while in one he high-fived some young people he was visiting and pretended to shake his hand in pain.

Sir David’s charity work also saw him pouring soup and reading books with children during his visits, as well as showing off his football skills and even allowing one young player to put the ball through his legs.

Throughout the video clips, he says: ‘When I joined UNICEF as a Goodwill Ambassador in 2005, I could never have imagined the journey I would take with this incredible organisation.

‘When visiting countries all over the world, I’ve seen firsthand how UNICEF is making a real difference in children’s lives and in their communities.

‘I’ve listened to young people talk about the challenges they face and their dreams for the future. Children have the power of hope to be free from violence, to receive a good education, for girls to be treated as equals alongside boys.

‘Every child has the right to dream and with the right support and opportunities, children can be empowered to shape their own lives.

‘A lot has changed in the past 20 years, but one thing stays true: every child should have the power to dream. So now and 20 years from now, we must all do what we can to help children fulfill their dreams.’

He added: ‘I can’t believe that this year I’m celebrating 20 years as Goodwill Ambassador for Unicef and a decade since I created my 7 Fund. 

‘Since my first visits as a young footballer to UNICEF projects around the world I’ve been inspired to use my platform to support their mission to fight for the rights of every child.

‘I am incredibly proud of all we have achieved together, and it is a huge honour for me to receive a Crystal Award at the World Economic Forum. 

‘There is still so much more to do, let’s join together to help the world’s children reach their full potential.’

Sir David is also known for his stylish clothing choices, and in 1998 was named most stylish man of the year by GQ magazine and he has modelled for the likes of H&M, Armani and Boss. 

Also among the personalities honoured on Tuesday were Nobel Prize-winning novelist Sir Kazuo Ishiguro and West End performer Dame Elaine Paige.

Sir Kazuo was made a Companion of Honour for services to literature.

The Order of the Companions of Honour was founded in 1917 by George V and is limited to 65 members at any one time. Appointments go to those who have made a long-standing contribution to arts, science, medicine or government.

The Japanese-born author, 70, who moved to the UK as a child, is known for 2005’s Never Let Me Go and 1989’s The Remains Of The Day, for which he won the Man Booker Prize.

The Remains Of The Day was his third novel and was adapted into a film starring Sir Anthony Hopkins and Dame Emma Thompson, which earned them both Academy Award nominations, and the 1993 adaptation a total of eight Oscar nods.

Sir Kazuo is also a film writer and wrote the Oscar-nominated screenplay for the 2022 film Living, about a civil servant, played by Bill Nighy, who embraces life after he finds out he is dying.

Dame Elaine, given a damehood for services to music and charity, was born Elaine Bickerstaff in north London 1948 and became an overnight star with her portrayal of Eva Peron in Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber’s hit musical Evita.

After the show debuted in 1978, the 77-year-old, who had been nominated alongside her co-star David Essex, won the Olivier Award for performance of the year in a musical.

She has had starring roles in Cats, Chess, Piaf, and Sunset Boulevard – and has more recently starred in pantomimes at The London Palladium.

Across her career, she has recorded more than 20 solo albums and has had one chart-topping single with I Know Him So Well featuring Barbara Dickson.

She has also won a number of accolades including the Gold Badge of Merit from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) in 1993.

Outside of her work, she has supported a number of charities including The Children’s Trust, the Royal Voluntary Service and Dan Maskell Tennis Trust, which she has been president of since 2010.