Twenty-five trophies, 115 England caps, five international tournaments and countless priceless goals.
But today David Beckham has finally received one of the few honours that has eluded him during a trophy-laden 21-year career and beyond.
Dressed in a suit tailor made for the occasion by Victoria, the former footballer was knighted King Charles himself for services to sport and charity.
His devoted wife and his proud parents Ted and Sandra smiled as they watched him bow and kneel for the monarch who touched him gently on both shoulders with his sword.
The King and his new knight, who have struck up a heartwarming friendship in recent years over their shared love of gardening, smiled during the moving investiture ceremony.
Speaking afterwards Sir David admitted he had been emotional as he received his greatest honour and revealed that Charles had complimented him on the suit Victoria had designed and made for him as a gift.
‘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 honour like this, of a knight, is beyond anything that I ever thought that I would receive’, he said.
‘To be honest, a young boy from the east end of London, born in Leytonstone, and here at Windsor Castle, being honoured by His Majesty the King – the most important and the most respected institution in the world – it’s quite a moment.
‘This is without doubt my proudest moment’.
His knighthood marks a pivotal and personally important moment for one of England’s greatest ever footballers. It is also a dream that Sir David Beckham probably never thought would come true after waiting for so long.
David Beckham received his knighthood for services to sport and charity from King Charles at Windsor Castle on Tuesday morning. The former footballer revealed the monarch complimented him on his suit
Sir David bowed before the King while being recognised for his services across sport and charity on Tuesday morning
Sir David was receiving the one medal that famously eluded him during a trophy-laden 21-year career and beyond
A proud Sir David shows off his medal in the grounds of Windsor Castle while accompanied by wife Victoria, who designed and made his suit as a gift
Asked whether he managed to speak to Charles during the ceremony, Sir David told the PA news agency: ‘He was quite impressed with my suit. He’s kind of the most elegantly dressed man that I know, so he inspired quite a few of my looks over the years and he definitely inspired this look.
‘It was something that my wife made me. I looked at old pictures of him when he was quite young in morning suits and I was like, OK, that’s what I want to wear, so I gave it to my wife and she did it.’
The father-of-four was knighted alongside Sir Mel Stride, the former Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for his political and public service.
It is certainly a dream come true for Beckham.
As a young child he would travel to Horse Guards Parade to joyfully watch Trooping the Colour with his monarchist grandparents.
The Mail revealed in June that Beckham was nominated for the award by Unicef, the charity that he has worked with for more than 20 years, and the British Fashion Council some time ago in a bid to get him the knighthood.
Sources said that both organisations ‘canvassed opinion’ over whether they should have put Beckham forward and received very positive feedback.
It is understood that some involved with the decision were very impressed with David’s birthday fundraiser, where he asked that instead of presents people donate to the fund to help children – particularly girls – around the world.
Friends of the former England captain say that there was an expectation that he would get the gong at the beginning of the year as part of the New Year Honours but he was pipped to it by Gareth Southgate as he had just resigned as England manager.
Today Sir David was accompanied by proud parents Ted and Sandra, and his wife Victoria, whose elegant black fitted dress was designed exclusively by her own fashion house for Sir David’s meeting with the King.
Sir David wore a suit tailor made for the occasion by his fashion designer wife while meeting the King
(L-R) Ted Beckham, Victoria Beckham, David Beckham and Sandra Beckham outside Windsor Castle on Tuesday morning
To think it all began in a humble back garden in Leytonstone, when playing for Manchester United was still a dream and the infant Beckham was painstakingly perfecting his now legendary set pieces under the watchful eye of dad Ted.
He would sign for the Premier League giants as a teenage trainee in 1993, a move that would serve as the catalyst for consistent success – both on and off the pitch.
To date, the former Manchester United and England legend remains the only British footballer to win league titles in four different countries, starting with six Premier League titles in England.
With Sir Alex Ferguson as manager he would also lift the FA Cup twice and serve as a key component in the club’s legendary treble winning season, culminating in a last gasp Champions League defeat of Bayern Munich at Barcelona’s Nou Camp stadium in 1999.
He would go on to sign for Real Madrid in 2003, joining Brazilian striker Ronaldo and French midfielder Zinedine Zidane as the latest in a long line of Galácticos to represent the legendary Spanish club.
But he would play through a barren spell for Los Blancos before finally winning his only La Liga title with the club in 2007, shortly before leaving European football for a new challenge in the United States.
There, he would become an ambassador for the sport through his endeavours with Los Angeles Galaxy, guiding the Western Conference club to a remarkable ten trophies.
With retirement looming, Sir David’s Indian summer would come in France rather than England, with Paris Saint Germain signing the footballer on a short term contract that would see him end his career with a Ligue 1 title in 2013.
An England legend, he represented his country 115 times – 58 as captain – after making his debut for the former Three Lions manager Glenn Hoddle against Moldova in 1996.
Sir David’s wife Victoria and parents Ted and Sandra were present as the legendary former footballer received the honour
But like so many before him a trophy would elude the footballer as he played for five consecutive full time England managers across five consecutive tournaments, including three World Cups.
There would be plenty of highs though – notably the incredible last minute goal against Greece that secured England their place at the 2002 World Cup finals.
Away from the pitch, his marriage to fashion designer and former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham in 1999 cemented a celebrity status which went far beyond his sporting exploits.
Ahead of Tuesday’s ceremony, the Daily Mail revealed that the fashion designer made the suit he he wore while being honoured for his services to sport and charity.
The secret project began in June when the couple learned that the former Manchester United star would be knighted in the King’s Birthday Honours.
‘David teases Victoria that she never makes him any clothes,’ a friend of the couple told the Daily Mail.
‘So when they found out in the spring that David was going to get his big day at Windsor later in the year, Victoria decided that she had enough time to make it happen.
‘She has never done anything like this before and she was aware it would be time-consuming but Victoria knew the investiture would be some way off,’ a source explained.
The former footballer, who retired from the sport in 2013, previously described King Charles as ‘an incredible man’
‘We have very similar interests, beekeeping … he’s into bees, I’m into bees, he’s into the countryside, I’m into the countryside,’ he said of the King in January
‘Victoria got to work, designing the three-piece suit and, as she doesn’t do anything by halves, she threw herself into it and made sure it was absolutely perfect.
‘The fact that David is wearing a Victoria Beckham outfit will make a special day even more special.’
Alongside his football career, he has supported a number of charity causes, including serving as a goodwill ambassador for humanitarian aid organisation UNICEF since 2005.
Last year, Sir David, who has described himself as a ‘huge royalist’, was named an ambassador for the King’s Foundation, an educational charity established by the King in 1990.
‘I’ve always been a huge royalist, I was brought up in a family and household that adored and loved everything with the royal family,’ he told Town & Country in January.
‘When the King asked me to part of his foundation, I was very honored, very privileged, I rang my mum straight away.’
Sir David bowed before the King ahead of his departure from Windsor Castle on Tuesday
Victoria looked stunning in a fitted black dress made by the designer exclusively for their appearance at Windsor Castle
Sir David looked appropriately dapper in a grey three-piece suit made exclusively by his wife
The former footballer also admitted his wife burst into tears after discovering he had been approached by the King.
‘She knows my grandparents would have been proud that I have played such an important role in the royal family and the charities that they have,’ he explained.
‘Our King is an incredible man, he has not just been incredible for the last five, 10 years, he’s been an incredible man for decades.
‘We have very similar interests, beekeeping … he’s into bees, I’m into bees, he’s into the countryside, I’m into the countryside, he’s into empowering young people so I’m very honored with that role.’
January also marked 20 years since Sir David joined UNICEF as an ambassador, a milestone he marked in a special Instagram post looking back at his charity work over the decades.
The emotional video saw the former footballer sitting down to watch his most significant memories across his time at the organisation.
Sharing a clip from his early days at UNICEF, he said: ‘This is the sort of work I want to do. This is what I want to be involved in.’
Looking back at the heart-warming moment, Sir David said: ‘I look young.’
The ex-England captain has helped children across the world, hopping back and forth across eras.
In one clip, he was wearing a suit and tie and giving a speech to a UNICEF meeting, while another showed a tattoo reading, ‘violence marks forever’.
Sir David admitted his wife burst into tears after discovering he had been approached to serve as an ambassador for the King’s Foundation, an educational charity established by the King in 1990
There was a warm handshake as the former footballer met King Charles on Tuesday morning
Sir David wore a rather distinctive gold and diamond signet ring for his meeting with the King
He could also be seen on billboards and stepping out onto a football pitch to address fans.
In another throwback, a shirtless David was mobbed by children playing football on a sandy pitch as the ambassador smiled.
Various shots saw him shaking hands with people he met across his many trips and watching as children ran around and played sport.
In many, he was holding young children and chatting to schoolchildren in impoverished areas, while in one he high-fived some young people he was visiting and pretended to shake his hand in pain.
Sir David’s charity work also saw him pouring soup and reading books with children during his visits, as well as showing off his football skills and even allowing one young player to put the ball through his legs.
Throughout the video clips, he says: ‘When I joined UNICEF as a Goodwill Ambassador in 2005, I could never have imagined the journey I would take with this incredible organisation.
‘When visiting countries all over the world, I’ve seen firsthand how UNICEF is making a real difference in children’s lives and in their communities.
‘I’ve listened to young people talk about the challenges they face and their dreams for the future. Children have the power of hope to be free from violence, to receive a good education, for girls to be treated as equals alongside boys.
Victoria appeared to hold back tears as she stood alongside her newly honoured husband
Sir David beamed as he greeted members of the press during Tuesday’s investiture
The former footballer’s knighthood was announced earlier this year as a reward for his sporting achievements and charitable endeavours
With a hand pressed against her husband’s back, Victoria struggled to contain her emotions
Proud parents Ted and Sandra flanked the couple as they posed for photos in the grounds of Windsor Castle
‘Every child has the right to dream and with the right support and opportunities, children can be empowered to shape their own lives.
‘A lot has changed in the past 20 years, but one thing stays true: every child should have the power to dream. So now and 20 years from now, we must all do what we can to help children fulfill their dreams.’
He added: ‘I can’t believe that this year I’m celebrating 20 years as Goodwill Ambassador for Unicef and a decade since I created my 7 Fund.
‘Since my first visits as a young footballer to UNICEF projects around the world I’ve been inspired to use my platform to support their mission to fight for the rights of every child.
‘I am incredibly proud of all we have achieved together, and it is a huge honour for me to receive a Crystal Award at the World Economic Forum.
‘There is still so much more to do, let’s join together to help the world’s children reach their full potential.’
Sir David is also known for his stylish clothing choices, and in 1998 was named most stylish man of the year by GQ magazine and he has modelled for the likes of H&M, Armani and Boss.
Sir David, pictured here after England’s famous 5-1 thrashing of Germany in 2001, represented his country 115 times over a 13 year period
The legendary midfielder enjoyed huge success at Manchester United, where he won the European Cup in 1999 (pictured) before moving onto Real Madrid
The Real Madrid team of ‘Galácticos’ Sir David joined in 2003 included Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane, Roberto Carlos, Raul and Luis Figo. All are pictured in Germany in 2004
Sir David is pictured playing a Champions League match for the club in September 2003
Also among the personalities honoured on Tuesday were Nobel Prize-winning novelist Sir Kazuo Ishiguro and West End performer Dame Elaine Paige.
Sir Kazuo was made a Companion of Honour for services to literature.
The Order of the Companions of Honour was founded in 1917 by George V and is limited to 65 members at any one time. Appointments go to those who have made a long-standing contribution to arts, science, medicine or government.
The Japanese-born author, 70, who moved to the UK as a child, is known for 2005’s Never Let Me Go and 1989’s The Remains Of The Day, for which he won the Man Booker Prize.
The Remains Of The Day was his third novel and was adapted into a film starring Sir Anthony Hopkins and Dame Emma Thompson, which earned them both Academy Award nominations, and the 1993 adaptation a total of eight Oscar nods.
Sir Kazuo is also a film writer and wrote the Oscar-nominated screenplay for the 2022 film Living, about a civil servant, played by Bill Nighy, who embraces life after he finds out he is dying.
January also marked 20 years since Sir David joined UNICEF as an ambassador, a milestone he marked in a special Instagram post looking back at his charity work over the decades
Various shots saw him shaking hands with people he met across his many trips and watching as children ran around and played sport
In one clip from the Instagram video, he was wearing a suit and tie while giving a speech at a UNICEF meeting
In another throwback, a shirtless Sir David was mobbed by children playing football on a sandy pitch as the ambassador smiled
Others showed a beaming Sir David watching as children ran around and played sport
Dame Elaine, given a damehood for services to music and charity, was born Elaine Bickerstaff in north London 1948 and became an overnight star with her portrayal of Eva Peron in Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber’s hit musical Evita.
After the show debuted in 1978, the 77-year-old, who had been nominated alongside her co-star David Essex, won the Olivier Award for performance of the year in a musical.
She has had starring roles in Cats, Chess, Piaf, and Sunset Boulevard – and has more recently starred in pantomimes at The London Palladium.
Across her career, she has recorded more than 20 solo albums and has had one chart-topping single with I Know Him So Well featuring Barbara Dickson.
She has also won a number of accolades including the Gold Badge of Merit from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) in 1993.
Outside of her work, she has supported a number of charities including The Children’s Trust, the Royal Voluntary Service and Dan Maskell Tennis Trust, which she has been president of since 2010.
Alongside his football career, he has supported a number of charity causes, including serving as a goodwill ambassador for humanitarian aid organisation UNICEF since 2005
