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Agence France-Presse

David Beckham will be awarded a knighthood by King Charles III next week in recognition of his football career and his charity work, reports said on Friday.
The former England football captain is set to be named in the King’s Birthday Honours List, according to the BBC and other sources.
Other sporting figures who have been awarded the title include Beckham’s former manager at Manchester United, Alex Ferguson, and British tennis great Andy Murray.
The Sun newspaper said he would take the title of “Sir” and his wife Victoria, a former member of the Spice Girls pop group, would 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 (OBE) in 2003 – a lower award in Britain’s honours system.

Victoria later received the same award for services to the fashion industry.
David Beckham was last month named in Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential leaders in philanthropy.
He is an official ambassador for The King’s Foundation, supporting its education programmes and “efforts to ensure young people have a greater understanding of nature” and has been a Unicef goodwill ambassador since 2005.
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 because of his involvement in an alleged tax-avoidance scheme, according to previous reports. He was subsequently cleared.
In 2017, British newspapers printed details of leaked emails in which Beckham criticised the honours system and the honours committee, according to the BBC.

A spokesman for Beckham said at the time that the emails were “hacked”, “doctored” and “private”.
Speculation that Beckham was in line for a knighthood grew after he announced his retirement from football in 2013.
Footage published by the Sun shows King Charles III asking Beckham if he “received his 50th birthday present”, during a conversation at the Chelsea Flower Show last month.
The King appeared to say “I’m glad it got to you”, with Beckham responding: “It was incredible, thank you, it was very kind.”
Queen Camilla was then heard telling Beckham: “I’m glad you got the roses.”
Beckham played 115 times for England as well as for a list of high-profile clubs including United and Real Madrid.
He is currently the president and co-owner of US team Inter Miami and co-owner of Salford City, who play in the fourth tier of English football.

Beckham is the only Englishman to score at three different World Cups and his career included the treble-winning campaign of 1998-99, when Manchester United won the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.
He earned the third-highest number of England caps of all time for the men’s team, and was captain on 59 occasions.
After playing for United, Los Angeles Galaxy and Real Madrid, Beckham turned to making his Inter Miami a success.
The former winger married Victoria, also known as Posh Spice, in 1999.
Together the power couple starred in the Netflix documentary Beckham – which included a viral scene of her discussing class.
The four-part documentary series about Beckham’s life and professional career scored him an Emmy in 2024 for outstanding documentary or non-fiction series.


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King Charles III

Ex-England football captain David Beckham to be awarded knighthood by King Charles: reports

Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla with businessman and retired footballer David Beckham at the RHS Chelsea Flower show in London in May. Photo: AFP

David Beckham was appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2003. Photo: AP

David and Victoria Beckham in Versace outfits at their wedding. Photo: Netflix/Beckhams

David Beckham is the only Englishman to score at three different World Cups. Photo: Reuters

Victoria Beckham on why ‘now is the time’ for Netflix series about her journey in fashion

Beckham in New York in 2022. Photo: GC Images

Victoria Beckham at a fashion show in France in 2023. The former Spice Girl talks about growing as a fashion designer ahead of her Netflix docuseries, coming in autumn. Photo: Corbis via Getty Images

Victoria and David Beckham with their son Brooklyn on their wedding day in 1999. Photo: Netflix/Beckhams

(From left) Designer Michael Kors, Beckham and Heidi Klum at a fashion show in New York in 2008. Photo: Getty Images for IMG

Beckham in New York in 2022. She says the city has been a “huge part” of her story so far. Photo: GC Images

The Beckhams at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in West Hollywood, in 2012. Victoria says her husband may appear in her upcoming docuseries. Photo: WireImage

Francis Bacon’s 1979 piece Study for a Portrait inspired the colour palette of Beckham’s recent clothing collection. Photo: Instagram/francisbaconartist

‘King Charles’: China shelter dog goes viral with 300 million views for calm, alpha manner

Dubbed “King Charles”, a China shelter dog has gone viral with 300 million views online due to its calm, alpha demeanour and instinctual behaviour as a leader. Photo: SCMP composite/Wikipedia/Douyin

In a widely shared video, Changmao gently places a paw on the neck of a tense dog, defusing the conflict without uttering a single bark. Photo: Douyin

Changmao skilfully navigates the pack’s ongoing disputes over food, territory, and mating, consistently working to uphold harmony at the shelter. Photo: Douyin

Changmao’s breed may not be the strongest fighters, but their intelligence and leadership abilities clearly distinguish them as natural leaders. Photo: Getty Images

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The Sun newspaper says the former Manchester United star will take title of ‘Sir’ and his wife, Victoria, will be known as Lady Beckham


The Sun newspaper says the former Manchester United star will take title of ‘Sir’ and his wife, Victoria, will be known as Lady Beckham.


David Beckham

Victoria Beckham