According to reports on Friday, David Beckham is scheduled to be knighted by King Charles III next week in honour of his football accomplishments and his long history of charitable work.
The former England football captain will reportedly be named in the King’s Birthday Honours List, according to the BBC and other media outlets.
Beckham will join the ranks of other decorated sporting figures, including his former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and British tennis legend Andy Murray. The Sun reported that Beckham will officially take on the title “Sir”, while his wife, Victoria—former Spice Girls pop star—will be known as “Lady Beckham”.
Beckham, who earned 115 caps for England and played for elite clubs including Manchester United and Real Madrid, is currently the president and co-owner of Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami, as well as co-owner of Salford City, a club in England’s League Two.
Now 50 years old, Beckham has long been considered a contender for a knighthood. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003, a lower-ranking honour in the UK honours system. Victoria Beckham later received the same recognition for her contributions to the fashion industry.
Last month, Beckham was featured in Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential leaders in philanthropy.
He serves as an official ambassador for The King’s Foundation, supporting educational programmes and “efforts to ensure young people have a greater understanding of nature”.
He has also been a UNICEF goodwill ambassador since 2005.
Beckham was previously believed to be close to receiving a knighthood after playing a key role in helping London secure its bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games. However, his nomination was reportedly delayed due to an alleged involvement in a tax avoidance scheme, according to earlier reports. He was later cleared of wrongdoing.
In 2017, British newspapers published leaked emails in which Beckham allegedly criticized the honours system and its selection committee, according to the BBC.
A spokesman for Beckham said at the time that the emails were “hacked”, “doctored” and “private”.
