Beckham and Winkleman honoured in King's Birthday Honours

RTÉ News​

2 days ago

Strictly co-host Tess Daly, and TV presenter Claudia Winkleman are among those who have been honoured in King Charles III's Birthday Honours.
Former England captain Beckham said he is "immensely proud" to have been given a knighthood for services to sport and charity.
In a statement to the PA news agency, the footballer, who turned 50 this week, said: "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.
"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."
Beckham married his wife Victoria in 1999 and the couple have four children - Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper.
He 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.
Oscar-winning actor Gary Oldman has also been given a knighthood for services to drama.
The London-born film star, 67, is known for his versatile acting style having portrayed a range of figures, from former prime minister Winston Churchill to Sex Pistols member Sid Vicious.
Winkleman said she is "incredibly grateful" to have been made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).
The Traitors presenter was honoured on Friday alongside her Strictly Come Dancing co-host, Tess Daly, for services to broadcasting.
Winkleman, 53, said: "I am incredibly grateful to receive this honour.
"It's a real privilege to work with extraordinarily talented people and I have only got this because of them. So, this is for the BBC, the traitors and the faithful, for pianos and for the cha cha.
"I will buy a hat and am taking my mum. I am ridiculously lucky and will celebrate with Tess by doing a paso doble."
Born and raised in London, Winkleman studied history of art at Cambridge University and after graduating began her career as a TV and radio presenter, fronting a range of BBC TV shows including Comic Relief and The Great British Sewing Bee.
Daly said she shed tears when she opened the letter telling her she was to be made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to broadcasting.
She told the PA News Agency: "This genuinely came as the greatest surprise of my life. 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. There's a deadline of acceptance. I can't imagine not ever wanting to accept such a wonderful award. But of course, I did.
"But yes, it was cutting it fine, because it went to the wrong address first of all, but it ended well."
She added: "I cried when I opened the letter, because I just I couldn't believe it.
"I genuinely couldn't, and the first thing I wanted to do was tell my dad, because I lost my dad many years ago, and I know how proud my dad would have been, and I would love to have shared that news with him more than anything.
"He would been incredibly proud in a very Northern, humble fashion. Because you're under strict instructions, of course, not to share the news before it's made public. But I must admit, I did tell immediate members of my family and swore them to secrecy."
Daly, who has co-presented the BBC One's Strictly since 2004, first appeared on screens in 1999 when she hosted The Big Breakfast 's Find Me A Model competition on Channel 4.
The Who frontman Roger Daltrey was also honoured, and said he is "very humbled" to be made a knight bachelor for services to charity and music.
Daltry, 81, who launched and curated the Teenage Cancer Trust's Royal Albert Hall concerts from 2000 to 2025, told the PA news agency he would be celebrating with "a bottle of plonk".
He told PA: "It's strange, it's an experience that I've never had before, I'm very humbled by it.
"But equally, pride isn't something you wear on the outside, you can't say you're proud of that, I'm not proud, it's something that you wear in your heart, and this sits very well in my heart, because it's for the charity, it is for the music and the music I've had the joy of giving it out there – how lucky was I?"
The singer first rose to fame with the 1960s mod rock band when their early Shel Talmy-produced singles I Can't Explain, Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere, and My Generation were hits.
West End performer Elaine Paige was also honoured and said she is still in "complete disbelief" that she has been given a Damehood in the King's Birthday Honours for services to music and to charity.