David Beckham will soon be known as Sir David.
The former football player will be named in King Charles' birthday honours list next week, according to The Sun.
The sports-star-turned-businessman and philanthropist has been considered a shoo-in for some time, yet has consistently missed the list; he received an OBE (Order of the British Empire) in 2003.
© Getty ImagesVictoria's new title
As a result of the title, his wife, Victoria Beckham, will be known as Lady Beckham.
Friendship with Charles
David, who celebrated his 50th birthday earlier this month, has struck up a firm friendship with King Charles, with David becoming an ambassador of The King’s Foundation in 2024 and receiving an invite to Highgrove to learn more about the charity.
"I’m excited to be working with The King’s Foundation and to have the opportunity to help raise awareness of the charity’s work," he said at the time.
© Getty ImagesIn late May he was seen warmly greeting Charles and Queen Camilla at the Chelsea Flower Show, and the royals also sent flowers for David's birthday as a gift, a sign of their growing connection.
20+ year wait
The Knighthood has been slow to come for David as he has been embroiled in several sensitive issues over the years.
© Getty ImagesIn 2022 he was named as an ambassador for the World Cup in 2022 yet faced criticism because of the country's illiberal laws and discrimination against marginalized groups such as the LGBTQ+ community.
Email leak
In 2017, a series of emails from David criticizing the honours committees were leaked by the investigative journalism group European Investigative Collaborations. In one email he reportedly wrote: "I don't care about being knighted."
It was also claimed he had mocked singer Katherine Jenkins for receiving a knighthood in 2014.
© InstagramIn 2013, he found himself involved in the Ingenious tax avoidance scheme, with accusations that he used an offshore trust to avoid paying taxes on his image rights. A HMRC investigation revealed that numerous celebrities had taken part, however, the issue was resolved, and he was added back to the list.
Family estrangement
The reports comes amid ongoing claims that David'd eldest son Brooklyn is estranged from his family.
© WireImageThe 26-year-old and his wife, Nicola Peltz, opted to skip several major family events this year with no explanation.
The pair also chose to go to the Coachella music festival instead of Victoria's 51st birthday party. and did not wish either of his parents a happy birthday on social media in a break from tradition.
