Former England football captain and global fashion icon David Beckham was awarded a knighthood on Friday for his contributions to sport and charity, with The Who singer Roger Daltrey and actor Gary Oldman also receiving the honour.
Beckham, who played 115 times for England as well as for some of the world’s most high-profile clubs including Manchester United and Real Madrid, will now be known as “sir” and his wife Victoria, a former member of the Spice Girls pop group, will be known as Lady Beckham.
The 50-year-old, who has long been in the running for a knighthood, was appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2003 — a lesser award in Britain’s honours system.
Victoria later received the same award for services to the fashion industry.
“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,” Beckham said in a statement issued to the Press Association.
“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,” he added.
Daltrey, who co-founded The Who in 1964, will also take the title of Sir, having been recognised for his services to charity and music in King Charles III’s Birthday Honours list.
The 81-year-old singer has been a patron of Teenage Cancer Trust since 2000, holding fundraising concerts at London’s Royal Albert Hall for more than two decades.
“It’s kind of weird, but I am deeply honoured to get this, especially for the charity for the Teenage Cancer Trust, and I accept it on their behalf really, because this honour is really for all unsung heroes,” the “My Generation” singer told the Press Association.
“It’s a dream come true for me, but it’s especially a dream because the charity means so much,” he added.
Oldman, who won a best actor Oscar for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in 2017’s “Darkest Hour”, also received a knighthood for his services to drama.
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The 67-year-old’s films have earned over $11 billion, and his credits include the “Harry Potter” series, The “Dark Knight” Trilogy and “Air Force One”, along with cameo appearances in the sitcom “Friends” and music videos for David Bowie and Guns N’ Roses.
Stage star Elaine Page, who played Eva Peron in the first production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Evita”, and novelist Pat Barker have both been made dames.
Barker is known for her World War I “Regeneration Trilogy”, the first book of which was turned into a Hollywood film starring Jonathan Pryce.
Beckham’s knighthood is the culmination of years of tireless efforts to transcend football and turn himself into a global icon at the intersection of sport, fashion and business.
The honour, one of the highest bestowed by the UK state, “is a powerful symbolic marker”, Marie Agnes Parmentier, professor of marketing at the University of Montreal and author of several papers on “Posh and Becks”, explained to AFP.
Even at the height of his football career, Beckham was building his global brand with a view to his retirement.
His appearance in a sarong, revelations that he used make-up and his eccentric hairstyles were all feverishly gobbled up by the UK’s tabloid press.
He also had to overcome the tag as England’s “most-hated man” after being sent off during the 1998 World Cup in a knockout game against Argentina.
Beckham is understood to have been on the verge of receiving a knighthood after helping London win its bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games.
But UK authorities placed a red flag on his nomination due to his involvement in an alleged tax avoidance scheme, according to previous reports. He was subsequently cleared.
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