Beckham’s knighthood marks the completion of a reputational rebuild for arguably the UK’s most famous sports star.
Despite his stellar footballing career, charity work and support of the London 2012 Olympic bid, for years there has been speculation that controversy may explain why he kept being overlooked for the honour.
In 2017 leaked emails that Beckham had allegedly written appeared to reveal his frustration at missing out on a knighthood.
A spokesman for the star at the time said the story was based on “outdated material taken out of context”.
In the same year he was among a number of celebrities embroiled in a tax case having invested in the Ingenious film financing scheme.
However, in 2021 it was reported, external he was deemed eligible for a knighthood after having his finances cleared.
Yet still his wait continued. It may not have helped that in 2022 Beckham was widely criticised for his decision to accept millions of pounds from the Qatari regime as a World Cup ambassador, and associating himself with a country accused of human rights abuses and where same-sex relationships are illegal. Beckham had posed for the cover of Attitude magazine in 2002, saying he was honoured to be called a gay icon.
Comedian Joe Lycett appeared to destroy £10,000 of his own money in a protest against Beckham’s role with the tournament.
Beckham later defended himself, saying he was “proud” to be part of the event, and a spokesman added that it was “a positive that debate about the key issues has been stimulated”.
Later that year however, the patriotism for which Beckham had become known was praised after queuing for 12 hours to see the Queen lying in state, with other celebrities criticised for skipping the long wait.
Since then, the father of four appears to have forged a close friendship with the royals, especially Prince William, and also King Charles after becoming an ambassador for the monarch’s charitable foundation last year, even bonding with him over their shared interest in gardening.
It was notable that Beckham and his wife Victoria attended a state banquet for the Emir of Qatar at Buckingham Palace in December, and there has been growing recognition overseas too.
In January he received an award for humanitarianism at the World Economic Forum in Davos, and made a speech highlighting the importance of investing in girls’ education and opportunities. More recently, he appeared on the front page of Time magazine in an issue dedicated to the world’s most influential philanthropists.
Those close to Beckham also believe a hit 2023 Netflix documentary played a crucial role in a fresh appreciation for his longevity and resilience, as he entered middle-age. The film introduced many younger viewers to his playing career, along with the story of his redemption after his infamous sending-off at the 1998 World Cup.
Accompanying all this has been continued commercial success for the 50-year-old’s personal brand. Indeed, he was recently estimated to be the eighth highest-paid athlete, external of all time.
With a range of companies still lining up to be linked with him, the co-owner of Inter Miami continues to enjoy an international profile like no other British athlete, even in retirement.
