King Charles III officially knighted former England football captain David Beckham during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on Tuesday, CNN reported. The retired athlete described it as his «proudest» moment.
Recognized for his contributions to sport and charity, Beckham was made a Knight Bachelor. Among the other honorees were Nobel Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro and stage performer Elaine Paige.
«I’ve been very obviously lucky in my career to have won what I’ve won and done what I’ve done,» Beckham said after the ceremony. «But to receive an honor like this, of a knight, is beyond anything that I ever thought that I would receive.»
Beckham, 50, attended the ceremony with his wife Victoria Beckham, the designer behind his suit. He noted that the King’s past fashion choices inspired the outfit.
«I looked at old pictures of him when he was quite young in morning suits and I was like, ‘OK, that’s what I want to wear,’ so I gave it to my wife and she did it.»
Beckham said King Charles «was quite impressed» with the suit.
Since retiring from professional football in 2013, Beckham has continued to be active in philanthropy. He serves as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and founder of the ‘7 Fund’ for children’s welfare. He is also a co-owner of Inter Miami CF, the Major League Soccer team he helped establish in 2018.
