David Beckham awarded knighthood

He had lengthy dreamed of changing into a sir and King Charles III made it a actuality when he introduced his birthday’s honours record on Friday, marking the tip of a decades-long journey travelled along with his Spice Woman spouse Victoria, creator of the eponymous vogue model.

The honour, one of many highest bestowed by the UK state, “is a strong symbolic marker”, Marie Agnes Parmentier, professor of promoting on the College of Montreal and writer of a number of papers on “Posh and Becks”, defined to AFP.

It “reinforces his picture as a good, dedicated, and, firstly, British man,” she added.

The knighthood may current new alternatives for the 50-year-old former Manchester United and Actual Madrid participant, “notably in diplomatic, charitable or political spheres”, stated Parmentier.

The previous free-kick ace, from a modest East London background, diversified his profession after retiring from soccer in 2013, however success was the results of planning lengthy earlier than he hung up his boots.

“I knew my profession was going to finish sooner or later and I wished to have a profession after soccer,” he stated within the documentary collection “Beckham”, which aired on Netflix in 2023.

Pioneer

On the peak of his soccer profession, Beckham was signing offers with high clothes and wonder manufacturers, constructing an viewers that reduce throughout gender, age and nationality — changing into the primary England participant to crack the US market.

The profitable model was constructed on his all the time immaculate look and nearly-always exemplary off-field behaviour, coupled with an unwavering drive to grow to be a pioneer.

This required a specific amount of braveness, provided that English soccer within the Nineteen Nineties was usually the protect of no-nonsense lads extra within the pub than the catwalk.

His look in a sarong through the 1998 World Cup, revelations that he used make-up, and his eccentric hairstyles have been all feverishly wolfed up by the UK’s tabloid press.

Beckham continues to be capitalising on the fascination, nearly 30 years later.

He unveiled his first assortment for Hugo Boss in April, is the founding father of the Inter Miami soccer membership and the “Studio 99” manufacturing firm, and has been a UNICEF ambassador for 20 years.

He’s now finest recognized not for soccer, “however for being Beckham, the model”, stated sociologist Ellis Cashmore.

It’s a model value £500 million ($676 million), in response to The Occasions newspaper’s 2025 rating.

From Outcast to Hero

The Netflix present uncovered the couple to an rising youthful viewers, cementing their fame for the foreseeable future.

Beckham “embodies a celeb on the intersection of sport, vogue, leisure and enterprise,” defined Parmentier.

The couple’s enduring visibility “is predicated on a classy media technique and a capability to embody common values akin to work, household and elegance,” she added.

However it has been a protracted and bumpy street, Cashmore identified.

In 1998, Beckham was known as essentially the most hated man in England after he petulantly kicked out at Argentina’s Diego Simeone throughout their World Cup spherical of 16 recreation.

Beckham was harshly despatched off and England misplaced to their bitter rivals in a penalty shoot-out. Those that had bitten their tongue about his off-field flamboyance gave full vent to their emotions.

Nationwide headlines the subsequent day included “10 Heroic Lions, One Silly Boy” (Every day Mirror) and “You are Simply A Joke Becks” (Every day Mail).

Months of “hell” adopted, with loss of life threats, spitting and boos accompanying Beckham wherever he went.

“Wherever I went I acquired abused, each single day,” he stated.

“I discover it laborious to speak by what I went by as a result of it was so excessive. The entire nation hated me.”

However the ordeal solely sharpened Beckham’s focus.

A 12 months later, he completed second within the Ballon d’Or as he helped Manchester United declare an unprecedented treble, profitable the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup.

It was usually stated that Beckham’s profession appeared to be scripted by a film author, by no means extra so than when the fallen idol took his revenge by scoring the profitable objective towards perennial rivals Argentina within the 2002 World Cup, redeeming his nationwide hero standing.

The royal household have been fast to embrace him, inviting Beckham to the weddings of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011 and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018.

Earlier rumours of an impending knighthood got here to nothing, however his star as soon as once more rose in 2022 after the loss of life of Queen Elizabeth II.

Whereas different celebrities got here beneath hearth for skipping the queue to view her coffin, Beckham lined up with members of the general public for nearly 12 hours to pay his respects.

Since then, it has appeared that “Sir David” was solely a matter of time in coming.