2 days ago
Arise Sir David - Beckham made a knight
Former England football captain David Beckham has been made a 'Knight of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire', with former Wimbledon tennis champion Virginia Wade and teenage darts sensation Luke Littler also recognised in King Charles III's birthday honours.
Beckham, a winner of league titles in four countries and of 115 national team caps, has been awarded the honour for services to sport and to charity.
He also won the Champions League as part of Manchester United's treble-winning team in 1999, and since retiring as a player has become a founder and co-owner of American team Inter Miami.
He has worked as an ambassador for the worldwide charity UNICEF since 2005 and since last year has been an ambassador for the King's Foundation.
Beckham said in a statement: "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.
"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."
Littler, who earlier this year became the youngest ever world darts champion at the age of 17 years and 347 days, has been made an MBE.
Luke Humphries, who beat Littler in the 2024 PDC World Championship final, has also been made a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) while Deta Hedman, who has won world-ranked darts titles in each of the last five decades and became the first black woman to play at the PDC World Championship in 2020, has become an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE).
Humphries said: "When I got the letter, I kind of couldn't believe when I opened it and it's a very proud moment. My mum and dad are obviously incredibly proud as well. It usually happens later on in people's careers, but it's happened in mine pretty early. I feel pretty blessed, to be honest, I'm fortunate enough to get one."
On his and Littler's impact on the popularity of their sport, he added: "We've changed the face of darts over the last couple of years. It's starting to become a younger man's game. It's nice to be at the forefront of that."
Other sports stars to be recognised include 1977 Wimbledon champion Wade, who has been made a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE), while two-time Olympic triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee has become an OBE.
Rachel Daly, one of the stars of the England women's football team which won the European Championship on home soil in 2022, has been made an MBE.
The Harrogate-born star, 33, plays for Aston Villa in the Women's Super League but retired from international football last year.
Frank Rothwell, the owner of Oldham who secured their return to the EFL earlier this month, has become an OBE for services to dementia research.
In cricket, former England pace bowler Devon Malcolm has been made an OBE while Steven Davies, who in 2011 became the first international cricketer to come out as gay, has been made an MBE.
Former Gloucestershire bowler David Lawrence, who took 625 wickets for the county, has also been made an MBE.
The 61-year-old, affectionately nicknamed 'Syd', was diagnosed with motor neurone disease last year.
Monica Vaughan, a 10-time Paralympic swimming gold medallist, becomes an OBE while Andy Lapthorne, a 17-time grand slam champion in wheelchair tennis, has been made an MBE.
Two-weight boxing world champion Natasha Jonas becomes an MBE, as does motorcycle rider Michael Dunlop, golfer Trish Johnson and BBC gymnastics commentator Christine Still.
