Beckham humbled by knighthood as King's Birthday Honours list released

Independent

15 hours ago

Former England football captain David Beckham has said he 'never could have imagined I would receive such a truly humbling honour' after being knighted in the King's Birthday Honours.
Sir David, who was made an OBE in 2003, receives a knighthood alongside actor Gary Oldman and The Who singer Roger Daltrey.
Strictly Come Dancing presenting duo Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman have been made Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), while there also honours for teenage darts star Luke Littler and his rival Luke Humphries as both are made MBEs.
Actress and singer Elaine Paige and novelist Pat Barker have been given damehoods.
Sir David, who has been in the running for a knighthood for more than a decade, said in a statement to the PA news agency: 'Growing up in east London with parents and grandparents who were so patriotic and proud to be British, I never could have imagined I would receive such a truly humbling honour.
'To have played for and captained my country was the greatest privilege of my career, and literally a boyhood dream come true.'
He had been on the verge of receiving a knighthood in the 2014 New Year's Honours list but HM Revenue and Customs placed a red flag on his nomination due to his involvement in an alleged tax avoidance scheme, according to previous reports.
In 2021 it was reported that his finances had been cleared and he was eligible for a knighthood.
The day before Sir David was given the honour, he was seen chatting with the King at a St James's Palace ceremony for the monarch's foundation, of which the retired footballer is an ambassador.
He has been made a knight for his services to sport and to charity, having partnered with Unicef and campaigned with Malaria No More, a charity working to eradicate the disease.
Sir David, who recently celebrated his 50th birthday, said: 'Off the pitch I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to represent Britain around the world and work with incredible organisations that are supporting communities in need and inspiring the next generation.
'I'm so lucky to be able to do the work that I do and I'm grateful to be recognised for work that gives me so much fulfilment.
'It will take a little while for the news to sink in but I'm immensely proud and it's such an emotional moment for me to share with my family.'
Sir Roger, who co-founded The Who in 1964, has been recognised for services to charity and music, having been a patron of Teenage Cancer Trust since 2000.
He told PA: 'It's strange, it's an experience that I've never had before, I'm very humbled by it.'
The 81-year-old led the Teenage Cancer Trust at Royal Albert Hall concert series for more than two decades.
'It's kind of weird, but I am deeply honoured to get this, especially for the charity for the Teenage Cancer Trust, and I accept it on their behalf really, because this honour is really for all unsung heroes,' Sir Roger said.
'It's a dream come true for me, but it's especially a dream because the charity means so much.'
Daly, 56, who has co-presented Strictly since 2004, and Winkleman, 53, who fronts the hit reality TV show The Traitors, have been honoured for their services to broadcasting.
'This genuinely came as the greatest surprise of my life,' Daly told PA.
'I don't think I've come back down to earth yet. I didn't see it coming, and it almost didn't happen because the letter went to the wrong address.
'And thank goodness someone very kind found me. And so by the time I got it, I only had, I think it was two or three days left to accept it.'
Winkleman said she was 'incredibly grateful' to receive the honour, adding: 'I will buy a hat and am taking my mum. I am ridiculously lucky and will celebrate with Tess by doing a paso doble.'
Dame Elaine, 77, was also honoured for her services to charity and music.
She told PA of her 'shock' at being made a dame.
'It's all very exciting,' the West End legend said. 'I've got all these different emotions coming at me all at once. I'm proud and I feel grateful and I'm thrilled and surprised, and so it's been quite a lot to take in.'
Dame Elaine has presented her BBC Radio 2 show for more than 20 years and has senior roles at two charities – The Children's Trust, a charity for youngsters with acquired brain injury and The Dan Maskell Tennis Trust, which supports disabled tennis players.
Meanwhile, Sir Gary, 67, who played Harry Potter's godfather Sirius Black in several of the movies in the fantasy franchise, was recognised for his services to drama.
The Hollywood star won an Oscar for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in the 2017 film Darkest Hour.
The top gong goes to Sir Antony Gormley, the sculptor behind the Angel of the North, who is made Companion of Honour for services to art.
There are only 65 Companions of Honour at any one time.
More than 1,200 people from across the UK received honours in the latest list.
Political figures named include Penny Mordaunt, who is made a dame.
The former defence secretary said: 'It is lovely to be appreciated in this way, and I'm very conscious that everything I have ever got done has been with the help and efforts of others.'
Stars of the big and small screen who have been recognised include EastEnders actress Anita Dobson, Academy Award-nominated actress Samantha Morton and Georgia Harrison, a Love Island contestant turned campaigner.
Dobson, 76, and Morton, 48, have been made Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
Best known for playing pub landlady Angie Watts in EastEnders, Dobson has been recognised for philanthropy after years of being patron of charity Thames Hospice.
An MBE for Harrison marks another achievement in the year her ITV documentary Georgia Harrison: Porn, Power, Profit came out.
She is recognised for services to tackling online privacy after she waived her right to anonymity to campaign following the conviction of her former partner Celebrity Big Brother winner Stephen Bear, who shared a private film of them having sex.
The TV presenter told PA: 'It means the world to have this kind of recognition, not just for me, but for all the survivors who've been through what I have.'
Tracy-Ann Oberman, who has also been in EastEnders, and played Auntie Val in Channel 4 sitcom Friday Night Dinner, has been made an MBE for services to Holocaust education and combating antisemitism.
Obermann, 58, said: 'This recognition is deeply meaningful and I'm grateful to all who have supported this journey'.
The oldest person on the list is 106-year-old William Irwin.
A veteran and the founder of Coleraine Winemakers Club, Mr Irwin was recognised for his services to the community with a BEM.
The youngest recipient, 11-year-old disability campaigner Carmela Chillery-Watson, has been made an MBE for her charity work.
Carmela, who has LMNA congenital muscular dystrophy, has become the youngest ever MBE for her fundraising for Muscular Dystrophy UK, for which she has helped raise more than £400,000.
In what is thought to be a first for the honours, three members of the same family have been named in the same list.
Jenna, her mother Caroline and her father Duncan Speirs have each been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM).
The trio founded children's cancer charity Calum's Cabin after Jenna's twin brother Calum died of an inoperable brain tumour aged 12.
Campaigners who have fought to tackle the rise of knife crime in the country have also been recognised for their work.
Pooja Kanda, whose 16-year-old son was murdered with a ninja sword yards away from his Wolverhampton home has become an OBE, while Alison Madgin, the mother of 18-year-old Samantha Madgin, who was knifed to death in Wallsend, is made an MBE alongside her daughter Carly Barrett.
Women make up 48% of those honoured, with 11% of recipients are from ethnic minority backgrounds.