One of London’s own has joined esteemed ranks this week, as none other than Sir David Beckham has received a knighthood. The honour was announced back in June, and became official as Beckham was knighted at Windsor Castle today.
The new title recognises Sir David Beckham’s services to sport and to charity. His sporting career is the stuff of legends, and he’s one of the most famous footballers living today. But off the pitch, he’s also worked across a number of charitable initiatives.
Beckham established the 7 Fund with UNICEF (or ‘7: The David Beckham UNICEF Fund’) to help children break through the barriers that might hold them back. He created the fund because he wanted to help create “a world where children grow up safe from violence, war, poverty and hunger.” As well as the fund, Beckham has been a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF since 2005.
Sir David Beckham also played a role in the Olympics coming to London in 2012, and last year was named an ambassador for the King’s Foundation.
Sir David Beckham
Back in June, when the knighthood was announced, Beckham responded to the honour, speaking to PA:
“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 it was literally a boyhood dream come true.”
While Beckham is famous for his ties to Manchester, the football legend was born in Leyton and grew up playing for local teams. (In fact, he was rather fittingly born at Whipps Cross hospital.) While he started his career playing for Manchester United, whom he had grown up supporting (his family travelling from London to Old Trafford often to watch the matches), he was part of a variety of local youth teams and even trialled for his local club, Leyton Orient.
But, as we all know, Sir Beckham ultimately joined Manchester United, and the rest is history. Now, over 30 years after his football career started, he’s joined the esteemed ranks of the Orders of Knighthood.
At the same ceremony, Nobel Prize-winning novelist Sir Kazuo Ishiguro and West End performer Dame Elaine Paige were also recognised with new honours. Sir Kazuo, who won the Man Booker Prize for The Remains Of The Day, was made a Companion of Honour. And Dame Elaine, who achieved fame in musical hits such as Evita, Cats, and Sunset Boulevard, received a damehood for services to music and charity.