David Beckham has finally earned the honorific he’s long craved after being knighted by King Charles III at a ceremony at Windsor Castle on Tuesday, Nov. 4. That makes the former English soccer star officially Sir David Beckham, or, if you prefer, “Sir Becks” or “Sir Goldenballs.”
Beckham, who was previously made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth in 2003, was recognized this time around for his services to sport and charity. After the ceremony, Beckham called being made a Knight Bachelor “without a doubt my proudest moment” (via The Guardian).
He continued: “I’ve been very obviously lucky in my career to have won what I’ve won and done what I’ve done, but to receive an honor like this, of a knight, is beyond anything that I ever thought that I would receive.”
Beckham’s sporting honors are myriad: He won the Premier League six times with Manchester United, while also winning the UEFA Champions League once. He also made 115 appearances for the England Men’s National Team and played for Real Madrid in Spain, AC Milan in Italy, and Paris Saint-Germain in France. He played a significant role in the growth of soccer in the U.S., too, becoming one of the first major European stars to ply their trade in the MLS when he joined the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007.
As for his charitable work, Beckham has worked closely with organizations fighting malaria and has been serving as an ambassador for UNICEF since 2005. UNICEF and others are working to eradicate malaria.
“I think mostly it’s because of the career that I’ve had and the teams that I’ve played for and the things that I’ve won and the respect that I’ve gained throughout my career, and I think that that is why people listen to me,” Beckham said. “And I think it’s a very powerful tool to have in charity. I just found very quickly that we could make change with things that I said and things that I got involved in and I think that’s why it’s so important to me.”
Beckham’s yearning for a knighthood has been well documented, though not necessarily in the most flattering light. In 2013, he was rejected for the award, and several years later, hacked emails revealed his frustration with the decision. He reportedly called the honors committee “unappreciative cunts” while also insisting he didn’t “care about being knighted.” The emails also revealed some concerns from U.K. officials about Beckham’s taxes.
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