a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Sir David Beckham receives knighthood: What does the honour entail?
Image credits: Getty Images
King Charles, the King of the United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth realms celebrated his official birthday today on June 14. The king engaged in the '200' year old unique tradition of Trooping the Colour parade and also honoured a selection of people from his Birthday Honours List for their "significant contributions" to the country.
According to BBC this year 1,200 people were on the main honours list with the youngest person being 11 and the oldest being 106. Among these is the Manchester United football legend David Beckham who has finally received a knighthood after a decade of giving his best to his career and the world.
The 50-year-old has received the accolade for his services to sport and charity. He has represented England's national team a total of 115 times in his career and has served as an ambassador for Unicef since 2005.
Additionally, the Inter Miami co-owner became an ambassador for King Charles' charity, The King's Foundation in 2024.
"To have played for and captained my country was the greatest privilege of my career and literally a boyhood dream come true," said Beckham in a statement.
"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," he added.
What does the Knighthood entail for Beckham and does it bring in any monetary benefits for his £500 million fortune? Let's find out.
What does Knighthood entail?
Image credits: Getty Images
In England, knighthood is an honorary title bestowed by the monarch upon individuals for their "significant contribution" to society in various fields such as arts, science or public service.
The accolade allows the male receiver to be addressed as "Sir" and the female receiver as "Dame". A key part of the knighthood ceremony is the king touching the recipient with a sword in a symbolic gesture of giving the award.
Does Knighthood come with monetary benefits?
Image credits: Getty Images
While historically knighthood came with land ownership and military service, modern knighthood involves just the symbolic title. It comes with no monetary or financial benefits at all.
However, what knighthood does do for the recipient is put them in an elevated public and professional standing, unlocking new opportunities in life and career.
For instance, David Beckham is the 14th person on the list of football knighthoods, excluding administrators.
The title is positive to open doors to high-level networking, charity initiatives and civic roles. However, it can lead to indirect monetary benefits in the form of more media coverage, brand deals, leadership roles, public speaking opportunities and whatnot. Additionally, it sets you a place in royal events and official functions as well.
