David Beckham to Be Knighted by King Charles III – The New York Times
How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.
Diverging Reports Breakdown
David Beckham set to be awarded knighthood in King Charles’ birthday honours list
David Beckham is set to be awarded a knighthood in King Charles’ Birthday Honours. The former England captain was appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003. BBC Sport has been told he is now in line to receive further recognition for both his football career, and his contributions to British society. The list of recipients will be published next week. The 50-year-old played 115 times for his country as well as for Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, Paris St-Germain and AC Milan.
The former England football captain, 50, was appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003.
But BBC Sport has been told he is now in line to receive further recognition for both his football career, and his contributions to British society, with the list of recipients to be published next week.
Beckham played 115 times for his country as well as for Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, Paris St-Germain and AC Milan, retiring in 2013.
Beckham was reportedly first nominated for a knighthood in 2011.
In 2017 several British newspapers printed details of leaked emails in which Beckham allegedly criticised the honours system and the honours committee.
A spokesperson for Beckham said at the time that the emails were “hacked”, “doctored” and “private”.
The former footballer married singer and fashion designer Victoria Beckham in 1999.
The couple share four children – Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper Seven.
Beckham played a key role in securing the London 2012 Olympics, and has been an ambassador for Unicef since 2005.
Unicef – which supports vulnerable children around the world – launched ‘The David Beckham Unicef Fund’ in 2015 to mark a decade’s partnership between the two.
Beckham became an ambassador for The King’s Foundation in 2024, supporting King Charles’ education programme and efforts to ensure young people have a greater understanding of nature.
He is also part-owner of League Two side Salford City, as well as president and co-owner of Major League Soccer team Inter Miami in the United States.
He helped set-up the Inter Miami CF Foundation – a community driven not-for-profit enterprise that looks to empower underserved communities, using football as a catalyst.
“He is a great ambassador for football and the country,” Beckham’s former England team-mate Wayne Rooney told BBC Sport.
“We all see the charity work that he has done for many years and I am sure he will continue to do that.
“Globally he is a massive icon for any charity to work alongside and he makes everyone proud by raising a lot of money over the years.
“You don’t get to his level worldwide if you don’t work hard. He was persistent and kept going to get the reward he deserved.”
A government spokesperson said: “We do not comment on speculation on honours.”
Beckham’s representatives declined to comment.
Arise Sir David! Beckham to be awarded a knighthood by King Charles, according to media reports
David Beckham is to receive a knighthood in next week’s honors list from King Charles III, according to U.K. media reports. The BBC said Beckham is set to receive further recognition for his soccer career, and his contributions to British society. In 2003, Beckham was awarded the Order of the British Empire, or OBE, for services to soccer. The Associated Press has not been able to independently confirm the award of theknighthood, which was first reported in The Sun tabloid newspaper. In video footage published by The Sun from the Chelsea Flower Show earlier this month, the king is seen asking Beckham if he “received his 50th birthday present” The King appeared to say “I’m glad it got to you,” with Beckham responding: “It was incredible, thank you, it was very kind”
Without citing sources, the BBC said Beckham is set to receive further recognition both for his soccer career, and his contributions to British society.
The knighthood will make Beckham “Sir David” while his wife since 1999, former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham, will become “Lady Beckham.” In 2003, Beckham was awarded the Order of the British Empire, or OBE, for services to soccer. Victoria Beckham got the same honor for services to the fashion industry in a later New Year Honours list.
Honors are awarded twice a year, once at New Year’s, and then in June to mark the king’s birthday. They are mostly made on the recommendation of the government, though the monarch has input too.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office would not confirm the press reports, as is custom. Buckingham Palace declined to comment. The Associated Press has not been able to independently confirm the award of the knighthood, which was first reported in The Sun tabloid newspaper.
In video footage published by The Sun from the Chelsea Flower Show earlier this month, the king is seen asking Beckham if he “received his 50th birthday present.” The King appeared to say “I’m glad it got to you,” with Beckham responding: “It was incredible, thank you, it was very kind.”
Beckham and the king have crossed paths on numerous occasions, including at state functions. Last year, Beckham became an ambassador for The King’s Foundation, an educational and sustainability charity Charles launched in 1990.
Beckham is the only English soccer player to score at three different World Cups and his illustrious career included the treble-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 in the all-time list. He also captained the side on 59 occasions.
After leaving Manchester United in 2003, Beckham played for Real Madrid, Los Angeles Galaxy and Paris Saint-Germain. He now co-owns the MLS team Inter Miami.
His career wasn’t always a high, though. After the 1998 World Cup in France, Beckham was widely vilified for his petulant kick of Argentina player Diego Simeone, which saw him sent off. 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 AP.
The four-part documentary series about Beckham’s life and professional career scored him an Emmy in 2024 for outstanding documentary or non-fiction series.
Beckham has been a style icon and celebrity and has been a prominent supporter of charities, including UNICEF, which created “The David Beckham UNICEF Fund” in 2015 to mark a decade’s partnership between the two. Beckham also played a pivotal role in London being awarded the Summer Olympic Games in 2012.
If the knighthood is confirmed, Beckham would join an elite group of British soccer players to have been knighted, including England’s 1966 World Cup winners, Geoff Hurst and Bobby Charlton, and Scotland’s Kenny Dalglish.
David Beckham likely to receive knighthood soon. What will be his title?
The former England captain will be named a knight in the official list expected next week. Beckham, who recently turned 50, has long been tipped for the honour. Speculation around the accolade reignited after Beckham’s 2013 retirement. His path to knighthood was reportedly delayed after HMRC flagged concerns over an alleged tax avoidance scheme, which halted a planned honour in 2014. He is the only Englishman to score in three separate World Cups.
The former England captain, who already holds an OBE awarded in 2003, will be named a knight in the official list expected next week, according to The Sun.
David Beckham, who recently turned 50, has long been tipped for the honour over his football career and extensive charity work, particularly as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador.
What happens after David Beckam gets knighthood?
Should the honour be confirmed, he would formally become “Sir David”, while his wife, fashion designer and former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham, would assume the courtesy title of “Lady Beckham.”
His path to knighthood was reportedly delayed after HMRC flagged concerns over an alleged tax avoidance scheme, which halted a planned honour in 2014. Speculation around the accolade reignited after Beckham’s 2013 retirement and reached new highs following the success of the Emmy-winning Beckham Netflix documentary.
During a conversation at the Chelsea Flower Show last month, King Charles appeared to make a cryptic reference to the upcoming honour, asking Beckham if he had “received his 50th birthday present,” to which the former footballer replied: “It was incredible, thank you, it was very kind.” The Queen added, “I’m glad you got the roses.”
Beckham, who earned 115 caps and captained England 59 times, is the only Englishman to score in three separate World Cups. His club career highlights include Manchester United’s legendary treble-winning season in 1999. After stints at Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, and AC Milan, he co-founded US team Inter Miami, helping bring international football stars stateside.
(with inputs from PA Media)
How ‘Sir’ David Beckham became a British institution as he is set to be knighted
David Beckham will soon receive his highest accolade yet as he is set to get a knighthood in the King’s Birthday Honours List. The 50-year-old, who played for his country 115 times and has carried out extensive charity work, has been in the running for aknighthood for more than a decade. But he has been on an extraordinary journey having gone from hero to zero among England fans and his marriage to Victoria continually under the spotlight. His playing career included memorable spells with Manchester United, Real Madrid and LA Galaxy, and he has since become a part-owner of Inter Miami. He is the only Englishman to score at three different World Cups, his career included the treble-winning campaign of 1998-99 with United. He also holds huge commercial and brand deals with a range of companies, and his career and personal life featured in the hit 2023 Netflix documentary Beckham. He married Spice Girls star Victoria in 1999 and they are parents to three sons – Brooklyn, 26; Romeo, 22; and Cruz, 20; and youngest child, daughter Harper, 13.
He’s had an astonishing life, making his name as a supremely talented footballer before becoming a cultural icon and one of the world’s most recognisable men.
Now, David Beckham will soon receive his highest accolade yet as he is set to get a knighthood in the King’s Birthday Honours List after being snubbed for years.
The 50-year-old, who played for his country 115 times and has carried out extensive charity work, has been in the running for a knighthood for more than a decade.
But he has been on an extraordinary journey having gone from hero to zero among England fans and his marriage to Victoria continually under the spotlight.
The midfielder’s playing career included memorable spells with Manchester United, Real Madrid and LA Galaxy, and he has since become a part-owner of Inter Miami.
The only Englishman to score at three different World Cups, his career included the treble-winning campaign of 1998-99 with United. Beckham earned the third highest number of England caps of all time for the men’s team, and was captain 59 times.
He also holds huge commercial and brand deals with a range of companies, and his career and personal life featured in the hit 2023 Netflix documentary Beckham.
Beckham married Spice Girls star Victoria in 1999 and they are parents to three sons – Brooklyn, 26; Romeo, 22; and Cruz, 20; and youngest child, daughter Harper, 13.
David Beckham advertising Adidas Predator football boots in October 1996
Victoria and David Beckham announce their engagement at a hotel near Crewe in 1998
David Beckham at Bisham Abbey during a training session for the England squad in 1997
Victoria rose to fame in the girl group, in which she was known as Posh Spice, before embarking on a solo music career in the 2000s then launching her own fashion label.
Beckham’s story to stardom began on May 2, 1975 when he was born at Whipps Cross Hospital in Leytonstone, East London, to father Ted and mother Sandra.
Growing up in Chigwell, Beckham first began playing football for a local youth team called Ridgeway Rovers and was a mascot for Manchester United aged 11.
He later joined a team in Enfield called Brimsdown Rovers and impressed to the extent that he signed schoolboy forms with the Red Devils aged 14.
His first major success was winning the FA Youth Cup in 1992 in a talented group that featured Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes.
Beckham made his debut for United’s first team in 1993 in a League Cup match against Brighton and Hove Albion as a substitute, before making his first start against Port Vale in the same competition the following year.
He had a short loan spell with Preston North End in 1995 before returning to United, where he helped them win the domestic double in 1995-96.
But Beckham truly announced himself on the opening day of the following season when he famously lobbed Wimbledon goalkeeper Neil Sullivan from the halfway line.
David and Victoria Beckham are thought to have amassed a combined wealth of £500million
Manchester United star David Beckham with his Young Player of the year award in 1997
David Beckham and Gary Neville celebrate beating Juventus in the Champions League in 1999
David Beckham is pictured with Victoria Beckham after he started dying his hair in 1999
However, as his stardom continued to build, the low point of Beckham’s career came as he was sent off for petulantly kicking out at Diego Simeone during England’s defeat by Argentina in the last 16 of the 1998 World Cup.
Many fans blamed him for the loss and he suffered a major vilification which saw him regularly booed and spending months as football’s public enemy number one.
David Beckham’s career in numbers England record Beckham won 115 England caps, the third-most of all time for the men’s team and second among outfield players. Wayne Rooney won 120 caps and goalkeeper Peter Shilton a record 125.
He scored 17 international goals. He became the first, and remains the only, Englishman to score at three different World Cups, from 1998 to 2006.
Beckham captained England on 59 occasions, a total exceeded by only four men including current skipper Harry Kane. Manchester United Beckham’s club career is most closely associated with his boyhood club, for whom he made 394 appearances and scored 85 goals in all competitions.
He won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and the 1998-99 Champions League – and Treble – with the club.
Beckham’s 18 direct free-kick goals and five in the 2000-01 season are both Premier League records, the latter shared with former Newcastle winger Laurent Robert. His 62 Premier League goals include his famous strike from the halfway line against Wimbledon, voted in 2002 as the competition’s goal of the decade.
He led the league in assists in both 1997-98 and 2000-01 and jointly with Newcastle’s Nolberto Solano in 1999-00. His 80 assists rank 11th in the Premier League era.
While with the club, he finished second in the 1999 Ballon d’Or voting behind Barcelona and Brazil star Rivaldo and was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2001. America Beckham was Major League Soccer’s first ‘Designated Player’ when he joined the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2003 on an annual salary of $6.5million. The designated player rule became informally known as the “Beckham Rule”.
In six seasons with the Galaxy he made 118 appearances and scored 20 goals, his best MLS season tally being seven in 2012. His side were MLS champions in 2011 and 2012.
Beckham’s MLS contract included an option to buy a future expansion team, which he exercised in 2014. His team, Inter Miami, entered the league in 2020 and won the 2023 Leagues Cup and the 2024 Supporters’ Shield, after finishing top of the Eastern Conference with the best record in MLS. Their highest-profile designated player, Lionel Messi, is their record scorer with 41 goals. Europe Beckham left United for Real Madrid in 2003, playing four seasons in Spain and winning the LaLiga title in 2006-07.
He returned to European football towards the end of his career, with two spells on loan at AC Milan from the Galaxy before joining Paris St Germain. His 2012-13 Ligue 1 title with PSG made him the first Englishman to win league titles in four countries.
He was inducted into Milan’s hall of fame despite never being permanently registered to the club. He made only 33 appearances, scoring twice.
But Beckham continued to enjoy a glittering career at Old Trafford, the highlight being the team’s famous treble-winning campaign of 1998-99, when they scooped the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.
He shone in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich, delivering both stoppage-time corners from which United scored twice to claim a dramatic 2-1 win in Barcelona.
Beckham was first made England captain by Peter Taylor, who had only stepped in as caretaker manager for one game against Italy in 2000. He went on to lead the side 59 times.
By 2001, he achieved full redemption in the eyes of the English public when he secured a spot in the 2002 World Cup with a stunning free-kick in stoppage time of the last qualifier against Greece at Old Trafford.
England were trailing 2-1 and staring at the prospect of a play-off when Beckham curled home in spectacular, trademark style.
Beckham then banished his own personal demons when he stepped up to fire home a penalty against Argentina in the group stage of the 2002 World Cup, four years after being sent off against the same opponent.
However, that same year, Ted and Sandra split – with Ted later writing in his 2005 book ‘David Beckham: My Son’: ‘All the hype, all the stress, all the attention – it wasn’t a world we were used to and it was very tough … We just drifted apart.’
One of the most enduring images from Beckham’s career came after he emerged from Old Trafford with a cut above his eye following a defeat to Arsenal in 2003.
It later transpired United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had kicked a boot in frustration and it struck Beckham, who went on to join Real Madrid later that year.
Despite playing a prominent role in Madrid’s ‘galactico’ era alongside the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos, it was not until Beckham’s fourth and final season at the Bernabeu he finally won LaLiga.
It came in heroic fashion as, after a spell out of the side following a disagreement with manager Fabio Capello, he was recalled to play a pivotal role in the run-in.
In 2008, Beckham became just the fifth player to earn 100 England caps when he featured against France in Paris. The last of his 115 international appearances came the following year.
Beckham moved to the US in 2007 to join Los Angeles Galaxy, where he signed a five-year deal in what was seen as a major moment in the development of ‘soccer’ in America.
That unique deal gave Beckham the option to purchase an expansion club at a discounted price, leading to the foundation of Inter Miami in 2018 who are now captained by Lionel Messi.
While playing for Galaxy, Beckham collected further trophies and also had two spells on loan with AC Milan – before moving to his final club, Paris St Germain.
After playing 724 games in his professional career, Beckham broke down in tears as he made his final outing for the French side against Brest in May 2013.
More recently, Beckham and former United teammate Gary Neville also last month completed a takeover of League Two side Salford City as part of a new consortium.
During his long career, Beckham earned millions from a series of lucrative advertising tie-ups, with one of his first major campaigns being with Brylcreem in the late 1990s.
It was around this time that he announced his engagement to Victoria, before they married in a £750,000 ceremony at Luttrellstown Castle in Dublin in 1999.
The celebrity couple, dubbed ‘Posh and Becks’, used their combined stardom to accelerate their individual careers while also building a hugely successful joint brand.
Beckham went on to star in commercials for major brands including Pepsi, Adidas, Vodafone, Emporio Armani, Sainsbury’s and H&M.
Beckham after Manchester United beat Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final
David Beckham wore a durag and sleeveless shirt to first meet then-Prince Charles in 2000
David Beckham at an England press conference in 2001 with his famous mohawk haircut
David Beckham celebrates with Emile Heskey after scoring the equaliser from a free kick against Greece in the dying seconds of the World Cup qualifying match at Old Trafford in 2001
Meanwhile his tattoos and ever-changing haircuts were also meticulously tracked by the public – with the famous mohawk haircut in 2001 still remembered today.
Beckham was also building up connections with senior members of the Royal Family, particularly with Prince Harry – later attending his wedding to Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle in 2018.
However, this relationship collapsed when Meghan is said to have suspected Victoria of leaking stories about her to the media.
Beckham queued up with the general public for 12 hours to see Queen Elizabeth II lying in state at Westminster Hall in September 2022. She had given him an OBE in 2003.
And his bond with King Charles is said to have grown in recent years, after they spoke at the British Fashion Council awards in May 2023, with Beckham giving the monarch a pot of his homemade honey.
By June 2024, Beckham and the King met ahead of the ex-footballer being named an ambassador for the King’s Foundation, Charles’s charitable organisation.
In December, Beckham and Victoria attended their first state banquet at Buckingham Palace as they joined Charles and Camilla for a glittering affair in honour of the Qatari ruler.
Manchester United’s David Beckham celebrates after scoring against Charlton Athletic in 2003
Beckham is pictured in 2002 sporting one of the many hairstyles he had during his career
David Beckham celebrates his penalty for England against Turkey in Sunderland in 2003
David Beckham waves while walking with his wife Victoria at Los Angeles Airport in 2007
Beckham was invited because of his close relationship with Qatar after acting as a paid ambassador for the country when it hosted the 2022 Fifa World Cup, which netted him a reported £10million.
Two months earlier in October, Beckham joined forces with Prince William to celebrate smashing a £15million target to replace London’s ageing air ambulance helicopters.
And last month he chatted with Charles at the Chelsea Flower Show in London, with their friendship reportedly growing in recent years through their shared love of gardening.
Footage published by the Sun shows the King asking Beckham if he ‘received his 50th birthday present’, during their conversation. The King appeared to say ‘I’m glad it got to you’, with Beckham responding: ‘It was incredible, thank you, it was very kind’.
The Queen was then heard telling Beckham: ‘I’m glad you got the roses.’
His business empire also continues to grow, with accounts filed last December revealing that his enterprises saw profits more than double in 2023.
Beckham raked in more than £28million of payouts from his media, fashion and sports empire after it was boosted by the Netflix documentary with Victoria.
David Beckham holds up his new shirt during his unveiling at LA Galaxy in July 2007
David Beckham with Prince William and Prince Harry at an FA reception in South Africa in 2010
David Beckham carries the Olympic torch ahead of the London 2012 Games
David Beckham with his wife Victoria, at the 2018 Fashion Awards at the Royal Albert Hall
David Beckham Brands is 55 per cent owned by US consumer giant Authentic Brands Group and 45 per cent by the former England captain.
DRBJ Holdings, the holding company combining all his brands, recorded turnover of $91.2million (£72.3million) for the year, up 2 per cent on the previous year.
And last August, Victoria’s fashion and beauty business shrugged off the wider downturn in the luxury sector as sales jumped by 52 per cent to £89.1million for 2023.
The couple are now thought to have amassed an astonishing combined wealth of £500million.
Together the couple starred in the Netflix documentary Beckham – which included a viral scene of Victoria discussing class.
David was filmed interrupting Victoria talking about her childhood to instruct her to ‘be honest’ and admit that her father drove a Rolls-Royce.
The four-part documentary series about Beckham’s life and professional career scored him an Emmy in 2024 for outstanding documentary or non-fiction series.
He has however faced some turmoil in his family life in recent months amid rumours of an alleged rift with his son Brooklyn and wife Nicola Peltz-Beckham who have been absent from recent family events.
Victoria and David Beckham at a Buckingham Palace state banquet for Qatar last December
King Charles III speaking with David Beckham and his wife Victoria at Highgrove in February
David and Victoria Beckham attend a dinner at King Charles III’s Highgrove House in February
King Charles III speaks with David Beckham at the Chelsea Flower Show in London on May 19
Beckham was given his OBE back in 2003 for services to football on the recommendation of then-prime minister Tony Blair.
His wife Victoria got the same honour for services to the fashion industry in a later New Year Honours list.
Speculation that Beckham was in line for a knighthood grew after he announced his retirement from football in 2013.
Now, the former England captain will appear on the King’s Birthday Honours list due to be released next week, according to The Sun.
The Unicef goodwill ambassador would take on the title of Sir and his wife, former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham, would become Lady Beckham.
In February, Beckham told Men’s Health UK magazine that turning 50 ‘doesn’t bother me one bit’, adding: ‘People are asking me about it gently, like it should be a big issue.
‘It’s not something that I’m worried about, as long as I’m fit and healthy and my family are healthy, that’s all I care about. I’m really happy.
‘I’ve got the business and an amazing family. My kids are all working hard, and they’ve all got passions, and that’s what’s important to me.’
Is David Beckham Heading for a Knighthood This Year? His Friendship With King Charles Might Be the Key
David Beckham met The King and Queen at the Chelsea Flower Show on May 19. The soccer legend has been gunning for a knighthood for years. Body language expert Darren Stanton says he wouldn’t be surprised if Beckham gets one this year. The King’s Birthday Honours are announced in June and the New Year Honours come out in December, so it’s only a matter of time before David finds out if his birthday has come true. The duo have “swapped beekeeping tips” and Stanton says “Charles seems to feel a strong affinity with David, and he genuinely likes him—and that feeling is clearly mutual” The King also tapped Beckham on his left elbow at one point, which is not very common for members of the Royal Family to do, according to Stanton.
Like the monarch, Beckham loves gardening and frequently shares his efforts on Instagram, and the duo reunited at the Chelsea Flower Show on May 19. Dressed in a smart beige suit pinned with a pink rose named after King Charles, the soccer legend chatted with The King and Queen Camilla about the “incredible” 50th birthday gift he received from Their Majesties.
Per the Daily Mail, Beckham met the royals at the new Highgrove shop stand at the flower show, stating “Your Majesty, it’s so nice to see you.” The King wanted to make sure he received the special gift he sent for his recent birthday, asking, “You got it, didn’t you?”
Beckham shared a laugh with The King and Queen at the Chelsea Flower Show on May 19. (Image credit: Getty Images)
“It was incredible,” Beckham said. “Thank you, it was very kind.” Although he didn’t mention what the gift was, Queen Camilla solved the mystery, adding, “Nice to see you again, glad you got the roses.”
The duo shared plenty of laughs during their reunion, with body language expert Darren Stanton—speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino—sharing, “Both The King and David were laughing their heads off, almost in a mischievous way. The sides of their eyes are really crinkled up and their faces are completely engaged.”
“I also noticed Charles tapped David on his left elbow at one point. It’s not very common for members of the Royal Family to do that,” he adds. “It’s an extremely tactile gesture to come from Charles.” According to the Guardian, the duo have “swapped beekeeping tips” and Stanton says “Charles seems to feel a strong affinity with David, and he genuinely likes him—and that feeling is clearly mutual.”
The pair, seen at the 2024 King’s Foundation charity awards, share an interest in beekeeping and gardening. (Image credit: Getty Images)
Numerous media outlets have mused about whether 2025 will be the year for Beckham to finally get his knighthood, and Stanton thinks it just might happen.
“We’re seeing David appear more and more at royal events—it’s clear Charles really respects him and the effort he puts into his work,” he said. “From his body language and the way he interacts with David, I wouldn’t be surprised if he receives a knighthood this year. There’s a deep level of connection and trust between them.”
However, Beckham’s journey to knighthood hasn’t been without its drama. In 2017, his emails were hacked, revealing a 2013 rant after he didn’t make the cut for a knighthood. According to the New York Times, “the messages, subsequently published by a variety of European newspapers, showed him taking aim at the honours committee, calling them ‘unappreciative c***s’ and insisting he didn’t ‘care about being knighted.'”
The King’s Birthday Honours are announced in June and the New Year Honours come out in December, so it’s only a matter of time before David finds out if his birthday has come true.