DAVID Beckham appears to have put his chances of winning a knighthood in jeopardy following the emergence of a series of explosive emails. The England legend finally achieved his ambition this summer when he was awarded the prestigious honor after a long wait.
Nevertheless, the president and co-owner of Inter Miami could have received the title ‘Sir’ much sooner if it weren’t for a series of controversial emails allegedly sent by the soccer player to his long-time public relations advisor Simon Oliveira. Beckham, 50, was understood to have received the green light to be knighted in the 2022 New Year’s Honors List, but this did not happen due to an email sent in 2017. The Manchester United icon is said to have been branded an “ungrateful piece of shit” by the honors committee. The former Real Madrid winger also reportedly questioned why opera singer Katherine Jenkins was awarded the Order of the British Empire, although he also reportedly said he did not really “care about knighthood”.
“For what? Singing at rugby and going to see the army,” Beckham is said to have said of Jenkins receiving the honor bestowed on her in the 2014 New Year’s Honors List.
After being rejected, Beckham reportedly said, “I didn’t expect anything more. It’s embarrassing to be honest. If I were an American, I would have gotten something like this 10 years ago.”
At the time, Beckham’s representatives dismissed the report, calling it misleading and based on manipulated material. They said: “This article is based on outdated material taken out of context from private emails that were hacked and altered from a third-party server, and intentionally presents an inaccurate picture.”
Beckham’s aides also claimed that some of the emails were “altered” and others were written “on the spur of the moment.”
Despite Beckham being awarded an OBE in 2003, the leaked correspondence is said to have been sent after he was denied the prestigious honour. Despite the uproar, Beckham was named in the King’s Birthday Honors list this year for his services to sport and charity.
Upon receiving the award, he said he was “humbled.” He went on to say, “I’m very lucky to have the job I do, and I’m grateful to be recognized for what I find so fulfilling. It’s going to take some time for this news to sink in, but I’m extremely proud and it’s a very emotional moment to share with my family.”
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Beckham, who won 115 caps for England and captained his national team, continues to do a lot of charity work. He also developed a strong friendship with King Charles over the years.
David’s wife Victoria then wrote a loving tribute to her husband, expressing her pride in his new knighthood. The Instagram message also highlighted the star’s dedication to her family.
Victoria, 51, shared a photo of herself kissing David’s beaming cheek, captioning it: “You’ve always been my knight in shining armor and now it’s official. Sir @DavidBeckham!!! What an honor. I couldn’t be more proud of you.”
“Your dedication to what is most important: your country, your work, your passions, and above all your family has never wavered.
“The way you have touched so many people with your kindness and humility over the years speaks volumes about who you are as a person and continues to inspire us every day. But most of all, I am so, so proud to call you mine. I love you so much.”
