By BRIAN MELLEY Associated Press
LONDON (AP) — When it came time to receive his knighthood, soccer great David Beckham knew what to do. He bent his knee like, well, Beckham.
King Charles III tapped his shoulders with the blade of a sword and “Becks” was transformed to Sir David Beckham.
“This is without doubt my proudest moment,” Beckham said after Tuesday’s ceremony at Windsor Castle. “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.”
The distinction marks the pinnacle of Beckham’s effort to rehabilitate his image following events that at times alienated him from fans during a long and distinguished career. He also has had a very public persona as a fashion model, husband to Victoria “Posh” Beckham of the Spice Girls and “Bend it Like Beckham” movie muse.
The 50-year-old was knighted for his services to sport and charity, having partnered with UNICEF, the U.N.’s children’s fund, for two decades and campaigned with a charity working to eradicate malaria. He also played a pivotal role in London being awarded the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.
Nobel Prize-winning novelist Kazuo Ishiguro, author of “The Remains of the Day” who previously was knighted, was recognized in Tuesday’s ceremony as a Companion of Honor for literature. Renowned musicals singer and actor Elaine Paige was given a damehood, the female equivalent of a knighthood.
Beckham is the only English soccer player to score at three different World Cups, and his career included the triple-winning campaign of 1999, when Manchester United won the Premier League, the FA Cup and the Champions League.
With 115 appearances for the England national team, Beckham is third on the all-time list. He also captained the side on 59 occasions.
After leaving Manchester United in 2003 — a move that devastated fans — Beckham played for Real Madrid, Los Angeles Galaxy and Paris Saint-Germain. He now co-owns the Major League Soccer team Inter Miami.
His career hit a low point at the 1998 World Cup in France, where Beckham was widely vilified for his petulant kick of Argentina player Diego Simeone, which saw him sent off and left the team short a player. Many fans blamed him for England’s exit.
In 2023’s Netflix documentary series “Beckham,” he described the abuse he experienced, which included an effigy of him hanging from a noose outside a London pub.
“I knew it was bad at the time, but going over that whole thing was quite a tough one,” he told The Associated Press at the time.
Beckham’s knighthood was announced in June during the king’s birthday honors list. The awards, which are also given out at New Year’s, recognize contributions to British life.