David Beckham announced as guest editor of Country Life magazine after years of reading 'every issue from cover to cover'
It was only last month that David Beckham charmed the King through his love of gardening.
And now he will continue to put his green thumb to use as the former footballer is announced as the latest star to guest edit Country Life Magazine.
The father-of-four, who is tipped for a knighthood in the King's birthday honours list, is known for being a staunch royalist and has swapped the football pitch for the countryside in recent years.
The one-off edition is said to feature Beckham's best-loved recipe, as well as his rural champions, and the craftsmen and women who have helped to shape his home in the Cotswolds, together with an insight into how the countryside has come to play an increasingly important role in his life.
King Charles has twice guest-edited Country Life to mark his 65th birthday in November 2013 and his 70th in 2018 when he was the Prince of Wales.
In 2020, the Princess Royal masterminded a special issue to commemorate her 70th birthday, while the Queen, then the Duchess of Cornwall, took the editorial reins in 2022 to mark her 75th birthday – and produced a record-breaking sell-out edition.
David Beckham said: 'I am honoured to have been invited to guest edit an edition of a magazine that I have always admired and read. I am really looking forward to working with the editorial team to produce an issue that will celebrate what the countryside and the great British landscape means to me and my family.'
David, 50, and Victoria Beckham, 51, bought their £12m Cotswolds mansion in 2016 and he has since developed a love for beekeeping and growing vegetables.
So proud of his work, Mr Beckham even presented the King with a jar of honey he harvested at home when the pair met at the British Fashion Council Foundation Impact Day 2023.
The ex-England captain last month chatted with King Charles at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London, with their bond reportedly growing close in recent years through their shared love of gardening.
The 76-year-old monarch was heard congratulating the former England footballer on his landmark celebrations – and asked the star whether he had received their present.
Standing outside the Highgrove stand run by the monarch's charity, the King's Foundation, Beckham – who is now an ambassador for the organisation – greeted the sovereign warmly and said: 'Your Majesty, it's so nice to see you.'
Astonishingly, Charles then appeared to ask whether he had received the birthday present that he and his wife had sent.
'You got it, didn't you?' he asked.
'It was incredible,' beamed Beckham. 'Thank you, it was very kind.'
Camilla then added: 'Nice to see you again, glad you got the roses.'
Earlier this week it was revealed the former footballer is to be awarded a knighthood on the King's Birthday Honour's List after being snubbed for years.
The former Manchester United and England star, who recently celebrated his 50th birthday, will be confirmed as a 'Sir' when the list is released next week.
Mr Beckham, who played for his country 115 times and was captain of the England football team for six years before he retired from the game in 2013, has long been a fan of Country Life, a fact he lost no time in telling Editor-in-Chief Mark Hedges when they first met nearly two years ago.
Mark Hedges recalled: 'As soon as we were introduced, David told me how much he loves Country Life. He reads every issue from cover to cover and it's been a great companion to him as he's developed his own life in the countryside.
'I'm absolutely delighted that David has agreed to guest edit the magazine, especially as it will be my 1,000th issue since I became Editor.
'I know he has a deep love of the countryside, which has grown since he retired as a professional footballer, although he is, of course, still extremely busy as a businessman and an ambassador for a host of causes, such as UNICEF and The King's Foundation, as well as being co-owner of Inter Miami CF in the US and Salford City Football Club in the UK. As someone who is passionate about the countryside, I'm excited to see what his special commemorative issue will bring.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Argus
35 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
David Beckham ‘immensely proud' of knighthood in King's Birthday Honours
The sports star, who celebrated his 50th birthday last month, is being honoured for services to sport and charity. Sir David 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. Sir David is an ambassador for the King's Foundation (Chris Ratcliffe/PA) '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 David married his wife Victoria in 1999 and the couple share four children together – Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper. He had been set on becoming a professional footballer as a child and as a teenager he joined Manchester United as a trainee, forming part of the class of '92 that won the FA Youth Cup, along with Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville. The sports star from north east London made his Premier League debut for United in 1995 and was part of the team that earned a dramatic Champions League final victory in 1999 when they beat Bayern Munich with two late goals. In total he scored 85 goals and collected honours including six Premier League titles and two FA Cups as a footballer, before retiring from the sport in 2013. Alongside his football career Sir David has supported a number of charity causes and launched a fundraising appeal for Unicef in April ahead of his milestone 50th birthday. David Beckham after being made OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) (Fiona Hanson/PA) He has served as a Goodwill Ambassador for humanitarian aid organisation Unicef since 2005 and is a founding member of the charity Malaria No More UK's leadership council. Philip Goodwin, Unicef UK chief executive said: 'We're so thrilled that our Unicef Goodwill Ambassador, David Beckham, has been awarded a knighthood in the King's Birthday Honours. 'David Beckham has done an incredible amount to advocate for children's rights over the last 20 years. 'He became a Goodwill Ambassador in 2005 and launched 7: The David Beckham Unicef Fund in 2015 – with the goal of helping children around the world, especially girls, break down barriers including bullying, violence, child marriage and missed education. 'He's travelled extensively to see Unicef's work and used his profile to raise awareness, as well as support our flagship fundraising campaign Soccer Aid for Unicef and launch global fundraising appeals.' Last year the former sports star, 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. The King hosted Sir David and Lady Victoria at his Gloucestershire estate (Finnbarr Webster/PA) In February Sir David appeared in a video helping to launch the hunt for '35 under 35', a network of influencers who can fly the flag for the charity which reflects Charles' vision. He 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. In 2018 he was appointed Ambassadorial President of the British Fashion Council where he assisted the BFC in its search for young British talent from all backgrounds. His wife, Victoria, turned her hand to fashion designing after her time in the Spice Girls and Sir David and their four children are often spotted at her shows. Sir David is currently a part-owner of MLS side Inter Miami, and is also the co-founder of Studio 99, the production company behind the hit Netflix series Beckham. He was formerly appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003.
Times
35 minutes ago
- Times
Only singing can save Clapham Common from the apocalypse
Imagine, if you will, a near future in which the wildfires are 'raging outside of Milton Keynes'. Unless it was protected inside the lush 'biodomes' dotted around the country, the remaining greenery has withered and died amid extreme weather and scorching temperatures. Like the rest of the 16-year-olds in this world, Akaego is awaiting the big day — Augmentation Day — when her unique talents will be 'surgically enhanced to ensure the survival of society'. She is one of the few people who have the power to accelerate the growth of plants — a precious talent in a climate apocalypse that is killing off the source of so many foods and medicines. As Augmentation Day approaches, she receives a mysterious note. 'Whatever happens,' it warns, 'don't get Augmented.' Why not? What does the rebel group of 'Freestakers' know that she doesn't? What secrets are her parents keeping? And what really happened at that 'aerogel manufacturing plant in Croydon 13 years ago'? The author Kenechi Udogu was highly commended in the Fab Prize, the Faber competition aimed at spotting new talent, and Augmented has first-novel energy. The premise is strong. Akaego can use her voice to grow plants; she just needs to fine-tune her frequency: 'The first note came out louder than I'd expected. […] The second also felt off. Like it was catching in my throat, reluctant to escape into the world. My head tilted backwards with the next note. This one had more of a melody to it, and I latched on to it. Unlike the others, it felt light, like it wanted to roam free, like it wanted to be more than just air trapped within my body.' A musical mission to save the planet? I'm here for it. I was looking forward to our heroine bringing plants to life like Spielberg's ET resurrecting that dead chrysanthemum. • Eight books to get your child excited about reading However, no sooner has Akaego's superpower been introduced, her Midas touch is all but forgotten and her story is left to wither in favour of a much less interesting one involving the internal wranglings between some rather dull rebels and the mayor's office. (Something about only certain classes of people being allowed licences to grow their own. As the story goes on, there's less about planet-saving soundwaves and more secondary characters turning up to say things like, 'It still doesn't give them the right to stop people from trying to create equally sustainable societies which can function outside of theirs.') So the concept is promising, but the writing is clunky. As she considers the desolate landscape that was once Clapham Common, Akaego imagines 'what spaces like this would be like if I could help rejuvenate them. If the ability everyone believed I had would be able to provide more enclosed green leisure spaces for people to enjoy.' • Read more book reviews and interviews — and see what's top of the Sunday Times Bestsellers List Thankfully, there's a sweet and gentle romance, and enough interesting ideas to keep things thrumming, if eco-sci-fi is your thing. Augmented (12+) by Kenechi Udogu (Faber £8.99 pp391). To order a copy go to Free UK standard P&P on online orders over £25. Special discount available for Times+ members
The Herald Scotland
42 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
David Beckham ‘immensely proud' of knighthood in King's Birthday Honours
Sir David 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. Sir David is an ambassador for the King's Foundation (Chris Ratcliffe/PA) '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 David married his wife Victoria in 1999 and the couple share four children together – Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper. He had been set on becoming a professional footballer as a child and as a teenager he joined Manchester United as a trainee, forming part of the class of '92 that won the FA Youth Cup, along with Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville. The sports star from north east London made his Premier League debut for United in 1995 and was part of the team that earned a dramatic Champions League final victory in 1999 when they beat Bayern Munich with two late goals. In total he scored 85 goals and collected honours including six Premier League titles and two FA Cups as a footballer, before retiring from the sport in 2013. Alongside his football career Sir David has supported a number of charity causes and launched a fundraising appeal for Unicef in April ahead of his milestone 50th birthday. David Beckham after being made OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) (Fiona Hanson/PA) He has served as a Goodwill Ambassador for humanitarian aid organisation Unicef since 2005 and is a founding member of the charity Malaria No More UK's leadership council. Philip Goodwin, Unicef UK chief executive said: 'We're so thrilled that our Unicef Goodwill Ambassador, David Beckham, has been awarded a knighthood in the King's Birthday Honours. 'David Beckham has done an incredible amount to advocate for children's rights over the last 20 years. 'He became a Goodwill Ambassador in 2005 and launched 7: The David Beckham Unicef Fund in 2015 – with the goal of helping children around the world, especially girls, break down barriers including bullying, violence, child marriage and missed education. 'He's travelled extensively to see Unicef's work and used his profile to raise awareness, as well as support our flagship fundraising campaign Soccer Aid for Unicef and launch global fundraising appeals.' Last year the former sports star, 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. The King hosted Sir David and Lady Victoria at his Gloucestershire estate (Finnbarr Webster/PA) In February Sir David appeared in a video helping to launch the hunt for '35 under 35', a network of influencers who can fly the flag for the charity which reflects Charles' vision. He 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. In 2018 he was appointed Ambassadorial President of the British Fashion Council where he assisted the BFC in its search for young British talent from all backgrounds. His wife, Victoria, turned her hand to fashion designing after her time in the Spice Girls and Sir David and their four children are often spotted at her shows. Sir David is currently a part-owner of MLS side Inter Miami, and is also the co-founder of Studio 99, the production company behind the hit Netflix series Beckham. He was formerly appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003.
