David Beckham reaction to knighthood joke in front of King Charles says it all
David Beckham and his wife Victoria are reportedly set to be given knighthoods in King Charles' Birthday Honours List next week, with Sir Rod Stewart's brutal joke seemingly coming true
Sir Rod Stewart's light-hearted prediction about David Beckham's getting a knighthood - made right in front of King Charles - looks to be coming true. Reports have emerged that Beckham is set to receive a knighthood in the King's upcoming Birthday Honours.
The former England footballer had previously been considered for the merit several times, but was never included on the final list. In 2017, Beckham's apparent disappointment at being overlooked became public when a trove of contentious emails - allegedly from him - were leaked.
Bearing that history in mind, Stewart, who was knighted in 2016 for his contributions to music and philanthropy, made a playful jab at Beckham during an event they attended alongside the British monarch.
During the award presentation at a ceremony for 'The King's Foundation', Stewart quipped in front of the King: "I am also wonderfully honoured to be a knight, and David, yours is coming soon."
Beckham, amused, was seen smiling and shaking his head, taking the joke in good spirits - even in the King's presence. Now, new reports indicate that Stewart's prediction was accurate.
According to The Sun, Beckham will officially become a 'Sir' next week, while Victoria Beckham is expected to be styled as "Lady Beckham". The 50-year-old was named an ambassador to the King's Foundation last year, further solidifying his relationship with the royal family.
Recent public moments suggest a friendly rapport between Beckham and the King. At the Chelsea Flower Show last month, the King asked Beckham: "You got it, didn't you?" referring to a birthday gift. Beckham responded: "It was incredible, thank you. It was very kind."
Beyond his footballing achievements in England - 115 caps for the Three Lions, plus various trophy-laden stints at Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain - Beckham has made a mark as a football executive, co-founding Inter Miami in MLS, home to Lionel Messi.
He has also championed numerous charitable causes, particularly through UNICEF, and was awarded an OBE in 2003. However, it has taken over two decades for that to be elevated to knighthood.
His prospects took a hit in 2017 following the publication of controversial emails allegedly written by him. One message reportedly said he "didn't care about being knighted," and another read: "It's a disgrace to be honest and if I was American I would of [sic] got something like this 10 years ago."
Beckham later claimed some of the messages had been tampered with. A friend told the Mirror at the time: "To be honest, he does feel that he has given so much to his country... you don't really mean it.
"While he was frustrated in those emails, he was over it the moment he sent them. Getting the knighthood is not what his work is about. He doesn't care if he gets a knighthood or not."
Typically, honours recipients are notified weeks in advance, so Beckham and his wife may already know of the honour.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC News
4 hours ago
- NBC News
Soccer star David Beckham to be knighted, reports say
Soccer fans are buzzing over British media reports that David Beckham will be knighted by King Charles. NBC News' Steven Romo explains what to expect from the much-anticipated Sir David.
Daily Mail
6 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Ulrika Jonsson admits 'crippling anxiety, fears and self-loathing' led her to alcohol as she marks one year of sobriety
has opened up about her journey to sobriety in a powerful open letter, revealing that she has now been alcohol-free for over a year and it has transformed her life in ways she never imagined. The TV presenter, 57, made the shocking admission that 'I can't do this any more,' was the life-saving message she sent to a friend on June 5 last year - a moment she now credits with rescuing her from the depths of addiction. She wrote in The Sun: 'It was a hangover day, much like any other, really. I sat on the sofa with my liver and brain pickled in equal measure, wrapped up in the blanket of shame, and something made me reach out for help.' The star, described herself as a 'binge drinker who drank to black out,' and detailed how her addiction crept in slowly. Although she didn't drink daily, lose her job, children, or end up in prison or get arrested, the toll it took was significant. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The TV presenter, 57, made the shocking admission that 'I can't do this any more,' was the life-saving message she sent to a friend on June 5 last year - a moment she now credits with rescuing her from the depths of addiction Ulrika admitted to drinking for the wrong reasons - to numb her 'crippling anxiety, to escape, to disappear and extinguish my self-loathing'. She also spoke openly about the shame and secrecy that surrounded her behaviour. From drinking neat rum in a cupboard at 11am to waking up with no memory of the night before, she revealed that her drinking quickly spiralled out of control, but remained hidden behind a polished exterior. Despite having a 'quite unremarkable' drinking history on paper, Ulrika revealed the emotional damage was profound. 'Alcoholics come in all shapes and sizes and many live among us in plain sight,' she wrote, adding that her family history made her vulnerable. 'I wasn't cut out for life,' she confessed, recalling how alcohol became her coping mechanism. 'I wanted the full anaesthetic effect… I just wanted the feelings to stop.' Since giving up alcohol, Ulrika says she has learned more about herself in the past year than in the previous five decades and added how she has had a 'spiritual awakening' and found an 'inner peace'. While family and friends have celebrated the milestone, with her daughter even offering to take her out for a meal, Ulrika admitted the lead-up to her one-year anniversary was filled with anxiety. She now lives one day at a time and accepts that recovery is a lifelong journey. It comes after Ulrika marked one year sober, sharing an emotional Instagram post about the milestone on Thursday. The TV star shared before and after photos, captioned 'sober' and 'drunk' as she told her 204k followers that 'the journey goes on.' 'Today I'm marking 1yr of sobriety,' Ulrika wrote. 'No fanfare, no medal, no trophy. The journey goes on. 'A huge thanks to all those beautiful people who have supported me; understood me; scooped me up and handled me tenderly and without judgement; who nudged me in the right direction; who made me laugh and helped me shed the crippling shame.' She paid tribute to her four children Cameron, 30, Bo, 25, Martha, 20, and Malcolm, 16, and apologised for the concern she has caused them over the years: 'Thank you to my kids for their support; for having faith in me after I must have worried them so.' 'For close friends for their patience and belief. My sobriety will continue to be my priority. Turns out it IS possible to teach old dogs new tricks. Alongside the before and after snaps, Ulrika shared a childhood photo of herself as well a poignant reminder of 'this day last year'. In December Ulrika marked her six months sober milestone, as she credited her loved ones for helping her get this far. In her post, the former Gladiators star shared a picture of herself presently as well as an older snap of herself 'under the influence of alcohol', which she admitted that she previously 'couldn't bear' to look at. 'A huge thanks to all those beautiful people who have supported me; understood me; scooped me up and handled me tenderly and without judgement, she captioned the post Alongside the before and after snaps, Ulrika shared a childhood photo of herself as well a poignant reminder of 'this day last year' Detailing her road to sobriety, Ulrika penned: 'Today I am 6 months sober. On the 5th June 2024, I had the gift of desperation and reached out for help. I no longer recognised myself and I surrendered. Referring to the image where she was 'drunk', Ulrika added: 'Pic. 2: is of me in the midst of the madness. Another drunk moment. At first I couldn't bear to look back at pictures of myself under the influence of alcohol. The cloak of shame was too heavy a burden. 'But now I look at those images and feel pity and sympathy for that girl - she desperately needed to be scooped up; held tightly and helped. Not shamed or judged. She was quite, quite broken and had no idea there was another way.' Concluding her post, she shared: 'There is so much more to say - and I will say it in time. I'm still very much at the beginning of my journey but my life has changed in a beautiful way. It's a spiritual thing. One day at a time….
Daily Mirror
6 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Liverpool make huge new Wirtz offer in bid to strike British record transfer
Liverpool have submitted a new offer to Bayer Leverkusen for Florian Wirtz - but are still below the German club's valuation of the player. The bid totals £113million with £100m initially and a further £13m in add ons. It would be a British transfer record, eclipsing the £107m that Chelsea splashed out on Enzo Fernandes back in 2023. But Bayer Leverkusen believe the German star is worth £126m (€150m). Talks are continuing between the clubs and will go on through the weekend. Liverpool do not want to pay the full asking price the Bundesliga side are looking for and are hoping to strike a compromise. Wirtz, 22, has made it clear to his club that he only wants to move to Anfield after Manchester City opted out of the race for his signature when it became clear his preference was Merseyside. Sporting director Richard Hughes is leading negotiations and is hopeful a deal can be reached in the coming days. Boss Arne Slot sees Wirtz as a player who can push Liverpool forward as they bid to defend the Premier League title and go for glory in the Champions League. He's seen as a talent who can make an instant impact but with the potential to become even better over the coming years. Personal terms won't be an issue once a fee is agreed and the player is waiting for the green light to head to Liverpool for a medical next week after Germany face France in the Nations League third-place play-off on Sunday. Rudi Voller, the former Leverkusen sporting director, speculated that progress on a deal was being made earlier this week. 'It's no secret that he'd like to go to Liverpool,' Voller told DAZN. 'I know the clubs are negotiating with each other. [But with] transfers like this [it's] often the case that it takes a while until an agreement is finally reached. Of course, in the end, you have the feeling it will go through. 'Florian Wirtz has proven that he is a very, very valuable player. Not only for Bayer Leverkusen but also for the national team. That's why he costs a few euros more.' Join our new WhatsApp communityand receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
