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Daily Mail
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Does David Beckham deserve a knighthood? The Mail's Royal experts discuss The King's Birthday Honours List on PALACE CONFIDENTIAL
It has been widely tipped that David Beckham will finally be knighted in The King's Birthday Honours List. And although the official list will be released on Saturday, the Mail's Royal experts shared their thoughts on the football legend's long-awaited honour during the latest episode of Palace Confidential. 'David Beckham has been angling for an honour for years,' Richard Eden, the Daily Mail's Diary Editor, said on the hit YouTube show. 'The reason we know this with certainty is there was some very embarrassing leaked emails years ago where he was expressing his desire for a knighthood and he was being very rude about some others who had achieved honours before him.' In February 2017, the former England captain was targeted by hackers who leaked emails which alleged he used his charity work as part of a campaign to win a knighthood. The former England captain was accused of calling the honours committee 'unappreciative c****' for its failure to make him Sir David. He also took out his anger on classical singer Katherine Jenkins who was made an OBE in 2013 - a decision allegedly branded by Beckham as a 'f****** joke'. 'Terrible leaks', Richard exclaimed to fellow panellist Rebecca English, the Daily Mail's Royal Editor and host Jo Elvin. Referring to the rumour that Beckham will finally receive a knighthood in Saturday's King's Birthday Honours List, Richard said: 'That's great for him. 'It means that Posh Spice, as she was, Victoria Beckham, will be properly posh,' he added. Although cruel trolls have been questioning Beckham's knighthood, Richard goes onto explain that the honour comes as the former footballer has 'forged closer links with the Royal Family'. 'We saw how close they've become at the Chelsea Flower Show actually where it was very chummy,' he said. But David and Victoria's royal connections go further back than the Chelsea Flower Show. The A-list couple attended not one but two royal weddings - Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding in April 2011 as well as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding in May 2018. In June 2024, Beckham was made an ambassador of the King's Foundation after a meeting with Charles at his beloved Highgrove Estate. During a tour of the luxuriant gardens which span 15 acres, the unlikely pair exchanged tips on beekeeping. Then, the former Manchester United midfielder attended his first-ever state banquet surrounded by royals and Qatari dignitaries at Buckingham Palace in December 2024. 'Now that Sir David will have his gong, ' Jo asked, 'he won't ghost the King, will he?' 'Don't be so cynical,' Richard chuckled. 'To be fair, I think David Beckham has always been a monarchist. 'He always loved watching the Queen's Speech and don't forget, he queued for 13 hours to pass by the Queen Elizabeth when she was lying in state. 'That was genuine so he is a monarchist. He'll love the chance to mix with the Royal Family and I'm sure he won't be ghosting the King now that he's got his honour.' 'You mention that queuing up,' Rebecca interjected, 'I remember speaking to him about it at a couple of functions. 'He was saying that his grandparents would have "absolutely queued up to pay their respects and I feel I am doing it for them".' 'They would have been extremely proud of him,' Richard added.
Telegraph
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Inside David Beckham's 20-year campaign for a knighthood
When David Beckham attended the Chelsea Flower Show last month his conversation with King Charles raised the eyebrows of regular Royal watchers. Beckham, who was wearing a new rose named in the King's honour, had just turned 50 and it seemed His Majesty had bought the former England captain a present. 'You got it, didn't you?' Charles was overheard saying, with Beckham replying 'It was incredible, thank you. It was very kind.' Now it seems that Beckham has received the gift he treasured above all others – a knighthood. Receiving the ultimate accolade from the British establishment has been very much a crusade for Beckham for the past 15 years, one in which he has successfully cultivated friendships within the Royal family alongside a remarkably effective public relations campaign. How much a knighthood means to him is clear from emails written more than a decade ago, before being hacked and leaked in 2017, which show Beckham was clearly furious over his wait to be knighted. 'They r [sic] a bunch of c---s,' Beckham allegedly wrote about the honours committee. 'Unless it's a knighthood, f--- off.' He added: 'Who decides on the honors [sic]?? It's a disgrace to be honest and if I was American I would have got something like this 10 years ago.' Beckham's representatives said the emails, which included one railing against Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins getting an OBE in 2014 after previously admitting taking drugs – had been 'doctored' and 'taken out of context'. But his quest to become 'Sir David' has nevertheless been a long one, and it is one in which the Royals loom large. Loos scandal did little harm to brand It is 22 years since Beckham was made an OBE for services to football, an honour which in itself was quite remarkable considering there had been effigies hung of him just five years previously after his red card at the 1998 World Cup. By that point he had already begun the charity work that has undoubtedly proven crucial to him becoming the youngest former former footballer to be knighted, having supported Unicef while playing for Manchester United. Accusations that he cheated on wife Victoria with Rebecca Loos after quitting United for Real Madrid – which he denied – had a limited impact on Brand Beckham and, by 2005, he had become a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador. That same year he was part of the delegation Britain dispatched to Singapore in a bid to secure the 2012 Olympics for London. The stunning success of that bid is said to have been behind him first being put forward for a knighthood in 2011 before he had even retired from playing. But any plans to award him the honour were vetoed when he was caught up in a tax avoidance scheme. It was a bid for sport's other mega-event that allowed him to cement a close bond with the current Prince of Wales. The two were united as the figureheads of England's unsuccessful bid for the 2018 World Cup, and their close bond was seen last October when they greeted each other like old friends at an official engagement to celebrate the replacement of London's ageing air ambulance helicopters. At that stage, though, it seemed that if Beckham were to be honoured it would be for his charity work, with the midfielder giving away the wages he earned at Paris St-Germain, his final club. There was some cynicism even then, with the leak of Beckham's hacked messages forcing him to deny claims he had used his children's charity work as part of a campaign to win a knighthood. He was also furious that the messages depicted him as demanding money from Unicef – with which he established the '7 Fund' in 2015 – to pay for flights and hotels to visit its projects. Unicef came to the star's defence, describing Beckham 'as generously giving his time, energy and support to help raise awareness and funds for Unicef's work for children'. It added: 'David has given significant funds personally. The 7 Fund supports programmes for children, tackling issues such as malnutrition, violence, AIDS and emergencies.' It would not be the last time Beckham would come under fire for his off-field choices, as in 2021 he was criticised for signing a 10-year, reported £150 million deal to become an ambassador for Qatar in the build-up to the last World Cup. His promotion of a country with a poor human rights record – and where the death penalty can apply to those found to be in same-sex relationships – sparked a major backlash. Comedian Joe Lycett famously shredded what appeared to be £10,000 (it later turned out not to be real cash) along with Beckham's 'status as a gay icon'. Beckham later said he was 'proud' of his role and that the World Cup had been the 'safest' for the LGBTQ community 'for a long time'. Helped by falling out with Harry and Meghan In hindsight, the more significant event of 2021 was the fact he was cleared by the tax authorities to receive an upgrade to his OBE. That opened the path to his knighthood, and it was one Beckham duly followed as his interactions with the Royal family accelerated. He was helped by the fact that, just like Charles and William, he had fallen out with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Beckham had previously been close with both Princes and their wives, and attended their weddings. But when Beckham flew to Australia in October 2018 to help promote Prince Harry's Invictus Games in Sydney, he is said to have been snubbed by the Sussexes, who allegedly went to great lengths to avoid being photographed alongside him. It has since been claimed that Meghan believed Victoria Beckham had leaked stories about her to the press. The suggestion was strongly refuted. When Prince Harry and Meghan became estranged from the Royal family and started giving interviews loaded with private family revelations and allegations, the Beckhams were said to be less than impressed. If sides were being picked, David knew where his loyalties lay. Indeed, Beckham's painful estrangement from eldest son Brooklyn amid a family feud involving daughter-in-law Nicola Peltz has echoes of the breakdown of the King's relationship with Prince Harry since his son and Meghan quit as working royals to live in the United States. There, they have reportedly mixed in the same circles as Brooklyn and Nicola. Arguably, though, nothing helped Beckham's cause more than when he queued up for 13 hours to pay his respects to Queen Elizabeth II following her death in September 2022. While some celebrities infamously jumped the queue, Beckham joined the estimated quarter of a million people who patiently waited their turn. Beckham, who had been awarded his OBE by the late Queen, told the BBC: 'I was so lucky that I was able to have a few moments like that in my life, to be around Her Majesty.' But it is Beckham's remarkable relationship with the King that may well have put the seal on his impending knighthood. What has blossomed into a love-in began in earnest gesture shortly after the coronation, when Beckham, who had discovered a love of beekeeping during the coronavirus crisis, gave the King a jar of home-produced honey – D Bee'z Sticky Stuff – at an awards ceremony in London celebrating British fashion. The gesture landed well. The King, who has long kept bees at his Royal estates and harbours a genuine love for different types of honey, thanked him and said: 'We shall have to do a swap.' Beckham admitted at the time that he was 'excited' to meet the King, describing himself as a lifelong admirer of the Royal family. As a child, he is said to have made an annual pilgrimage to Buckingham Palace with his grandparents, Joseph and Peggy, to watch Trooping the Colour. He spoke of his hitherto unknown passion for nature in 2023's candid Netflix documentary about his life, chatting about the bees he kept on his Cotswolds estate near Great Tew in Oxfordshire. Just a few months later, in June 2024, there he was swapping beekeeping tips with the King. The pair met up privately at the monarch's Highgrove home, some 50 miles from the Beckhams' residence, to discuss plans for him to become an ambassador for the King's Foundation. Pictures released to mark the announcement shortly afterwards showed them laughing together on the King's doorstep, dressed in their smart country attire. 'Having developed a love for the countryside, I'm also on a personal mission to learn more about rural skills which is so central to the foundation's work,' Beckham said at the time. 'It was inspiring to hear from the King about the work of His Majesty's foundation during my recent visit to Highgrove Gardens – and compare beekeeping tips!' It must also be said that the friendship is by no means a one-way street. The King's Foundation has gone to great lengths to attract an array of high-profile personalities to become ambassadors in recent months. From Sienna Miller to rugby star Maro Itoje – the latest recruit, announced on Friday – the charity is keen to reach as wide a demographic as possible in its efforts to promote the synergy between people and planet. Beckham, one of the world's most recognised figures, was a great catch and the invitations then came thick and fast. In December, both David and his wife joined the King and Queen at a state banquet at Buckingham Palace, held in honour of the Qatari ruler. In February, the couple were among the King's guests at a black-tie dinner at Highgrove to celebrate Anglo-Italian relations and, the following month, Victoria was invited to Buckingham Palace for a Women of the World event hosted by the Queen. Then, last month, the Princess of Wales wore a Victoria Beckham suit during a visit to the British Fashion Council – not the first time she had been spotted in one of the former Spice Girl's designs. That was followed shortly afterwards by the visit to the Chelsea Flower Show and the King's 'gift' to Beckham. Whether the gift itself was the knighthood few will know, but no one can dispute that Beckham's hard work has finally earned him the one royal seal of approval he has always craved.
Daily Mail
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Myleene Klass puts on a leggy display in skimpy leopard-print shorts as she arrives at Smooth Radio
Myleene Klass set pulses racing as she arrived at Smooth Radio Studios in London on Friday. The TV personality, 47, looked incredible in a pair of skimpy leopard-print shorts that showcased her toned legs. She wore sheer black tights and paired the shorts with a black vest top and a smart blazer. Posing up a storm for the cameras, Myleene further accessorised her look with a layer of gold necklaces, a black baseball cap, and a pair of trendy oversized shades. To complete her look, she sported a pair of black ankle boots and toted her essentials in a black Chanel handbag as she made her way into the studio. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Earlier this month, Myleene led the stars celebrating the 80th anniversary of VE Day as she hosted a tribute concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Joined in her hosting duties by Katherine Jenkins and Dan Walker, she pulled out all the stops on the night in an eye-catching red gown. The singer certainly brought the glamour as she displayed her toned frame in the thigh-high split dress, which was adorned with a huge bow detailing. The event, sponsored by the Daily Mail, featured a show-stopping performance from mezzo-soprano Katherine and dancing from Strictly Come Dancing stars. The show also included first-hand recollections from military veterans and those who lived through the conflict. Former pop star Myleene, whose father served in the Merchant Navy, said it was 'both humbling and an honour' to be involved. She said: 'With it (VE Day) being 80 years now, and as our serving personnel from that time reach an age many never thought they'd see, it's essential we keep their sacrifices and memory alive.' Her co-host, former BBC Breakfast star Dan, told the Mail he considered it 'a real privilege' to be 'standing on that stage introducing some amazing people'. 'Those values of freedom and democracy matter today.' Marking the anniversary, King Charles also used a keynote speech to call for greater efforts towards global peace. With conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East and across the African continent, His Majesty suggested it was time to remind ourselves of the words of our great wartime leader, Sir Winston Churchill, who said: 'Meeting jaw to jaw is better than war.' 'In so doing, we should also rededicate ourselves not only to the cause of freedom but to renewing global commitments to restoring a just peace where there is war, to diplomacy, and to the prevention of conflict,' he said. 'For as my grandfather [King George VI, who was monarch during the Second World War] put it: "We shall have failed, and the blood of our dearest will have flowed in vain, if the victory which they died to win does not lead to a lasting peace, founded on justice and established in good will." 'Just as those exceptional men and women fulfilled their duty to each other, to humankind, and to God, bound by an unshakeable commitment to nation and service, in turn, it falls to us to protect and continue their precious legacy – so that one day hence generations yet unborn may say of us: "they too bequeathed a better world".'
Daily Mail
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Myleene Klass risks ruining her curly hair as she gets caught in the rain outside Smooth Radio
Myleene Klass risked ruining her freshly curled hair on Tuesday as she braved the rain on her way to the Smooth Radio Studio in London. The TV personality, 46, looked incredible in a beige mini dress that showcased her toned pins while holding her jacket over her head to protect her curls. She wore a pair of off-white trainers and grey socks an beamed for the cameras despite the rainy weather. To complete her look, she accessorised with layered necklaces and a trendy pair of oversized shades. Myleene toted her essentials in a cream shoulder bag as she made her way to the studio. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Earlier this month, Myleene led the stars celebrating the 80th anniversary of VE Day as she hosted a tribute concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Joined in her hosting duties by Katherine Jenkins and Dan Walker, she pulled out all the stops on the night in an eye-catching red gown. The singer certainly brought the glamour as she displayed her toned frame in the thigh-high split dress, which was adorned with a huge bow detailing. The event, sponsored by the Daily Mail, featured a show-stopping performance from mezzo-soprano Katherine and dancing from Strictly Come Dancing stars. The show also included first-hand recollections from military veterans and those who lived through the conflict. Former pop star Myleene, whose father served in the Merchant Navy, said it was 'both humbling and an honour' to be involved. She said: 'With it (VE Day) being 80 years now, and as our serving personnel from that time reach an age many never thought they'd see, it's essential we keep their sacrifices and memory alive.' Her co-host, former BBC Breakfast star Dan, told the Mail he considered it 'a real privilege' to be 'standing on that stage introducing some amazing people'. 'Those values of freedom and democracy matter today.' Marking the anniversary, King Charles also used a keynote speech to call for greater efforts towards global peace. With conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East and across the African continent, His Majesty suggested it was time to remind ourselves of the words of our great wartime leader, Sir Winston Churchill, who said: 'Meeting jaw to jaw is better than war.' 'In so doing, we should also rededicate ourselves not only to the cause of freedom but to renewing global commitments to restoring a just peace where there is war, to diplomacy, and to the prevention of conflict,' he said. 'For as my grandfather [King George VI, who was monarch during the Second World War] put it: "We shall have failed, and the blood of our dearest will have flowed in vain, if the victory which they died to win does not lead to a lasting peace, founded on justice and established in good will." 'Just as those exceptional men and women fulfilled their duty to each other, to humankind, and to God, bound by an unshakeable commitment to nation and service, in turn, it falls to us to protect and continue their precious legacy – so that one day hence generations yet unborn may say of us: "they too bequeathed a better world".'
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
How Gethin Jones and Helen Skelton are mending each other's hearts after Welsh presenter was destroyed by split from ex fiancée Katherine Jenkins and Blue Peter star was left blind-sided when ex husband Richie called quits on their marriage
Gethin Jones and Helen Skelton didn't hide their growing bond as they cosied up on the presenter's motorbike while heading for breakfast in Manchester city centre on Thursday. It comes amid speculation of the pair's growing 'deeper connection' after MailOnline revealed that the Morning Live hosts have grown close off-screen after they were seen leaving the BAFTA TV Awards together. Yet both TV stars have experience their fare share of heartbreak after Gethin's famous split to ex fiancée Katherine Jenkins left him seeking therapy for depression. Meanwhile Helen split from her ex-husband Richie Myler in 2022, with whom she shares children Ernie, nine, Louis, eight, and Elsie, three, after he left the marital home four months after she gave birth. And now after presenting BBC Morning Live together, fans have insisted Helen and Gethin 'belong together' but could they mend each other's broken hearts? From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Gethin was famously engaged to fellow Welsh singer Katherine before the couple separated in December 2011 following a five-year relationship (pictured June 2011) Gethin was famously engaged to fellow Welsh singer Katherine before the couple separated in December 2011 following a five-year relationship. The Welsh presenter has been open about how the painful break up destroyed him and led to a bout of depression. Discussing his mental health battles in an interview in 2023, Gethin admitted he underwent therapy in the wake of the split. He told the Outdoors in Mind podcast: 'I was engaged and then breaking up, afterwards, or even during that period, it was just awful. 'I remember doing BBC Radio 5Live and going into the toilet at 5.30am going, "All right. Come on. Just focus for the next three hours, and then you can go back to being sad again." 'I definitely had a bad bout of depression during that time.' 'I was waiting for a friend to tell me what to do and they can't do that. It puts so much pressure on them... you need to figure it out yourself.' In the end, Gethin revealed he had counselling to try and navigate a way through how he was feeling: 'I saw someone, I had therapy for a couple of years and I still do my homework on that.' Gethin and Katherine first met in 2005 when she was a guest on Blue Peter, which he presented. Two years later they got together, when he was competing in Strictly Come Dancing and she was singing on the show. Then three years after that, he proposed - with a £10,000 ring during a romantic holiday in Mexico. In what looked to be the perfect happily ever after the pair then bought an eight-bedroom house for £4.7million in Richmond, South-West London. But the engagement faltered after just ten months. While neither have confirmed the reason for the split, various rumours have suggested his career was faltering while hers was accelerating and while he wanted a family she didn't want to press pause on her music. Speaking in 2014, Katherine claimed it was Gethin who initiated their split, shortly before she embarked on a world tour. She told Wales Online: 'At the end of 2011 when Gethin and I broke up, the reality of it was that about two weeks later I had to go on a UK tour where every night I'm singing songs of heartbreak and every day just trying to find the energy to cope let alone going on stage and understand his reason for doing it. 'Meanwhile everybody else is under the impression it was my decision, my ambition, I wanted to take over the world. It was so far from the truth.' Following on from their split Katherine married painter and filmmaker Andrew Levitas in 2014, and the pair share two children Aaliyah Reign, nine, and Xander Robert, seven. However while Katherine has been married for over a decade, Gethin hasn't been so lucky in love. He told the Daily Mail back in 2014: 'All I want to do now is meet someone, get married, have a big family, be a good father. 'I have never made any secret of that but the problem is finding someone. I started going to yoga classes as I thought that would be a good place to meet girls, but it is hard to chat to someone when you are balancing upside down. 'I had thought I'd be married by now - I was engaged, so obviously I thought that's where it was heading - but I can't force the issue. If it's not meant to be, it won't happen.' Gethin went on to date German underwear model Katja Zwara, however the couple separated in 2018 after a year of dating with a source confirming to The Sun: 'Gethin and Katja remain pals but things just didn't quite work out in the end. 'They split last month and have gone their separate ways.' The star also had a brief relationship with TOWIE star Lucy Mecklenburgh before the couple amicably parted ways in 2014. In 2023 he fuelled romance rumours with First Dates star Cici Coleman after they were seen enjoying a night at the theatre followed by drinks and dinner. Meanwhile Helen was married to her ex husband Richie for eight years before she announced on Instagram he had 'left the family home' in April 2022, just four months after the birth of their youngest child Elsie. Writing in her autobiography, In My Stride, Helen recalled her 2022 split and how it blindsided her: 'I was in shock. I know that following break-ups, people often say they didn't see it coming and it sounds like a cliché, but that was me.' Helen was so distraught after her split from Richie that she was unable to tell her parents at first as she did not want to 'inflict' pain on them. But when her father noticed her spending a lot of time on her own with her children at her marital home, he surprised her with a visit from Cumbria. Helen wrote: 'He immediately stepped in, knowing I needed him, even though I didn't want to admit it.' Since their split, Richie has gone on to welcome two more children with his new partner Stephanie Thirkill. The rugby ace, 34, welcomed son Freddie with Stephanie last June and the couple already share daughter Olivia, who was born in May 2023. A year after the couple's split, Helen was said to be dating again as she attempted to move on one year after her 'trust was broken' by Richie. A source told OK! magazine: 'She is now reluctantly dipping her toe back into the dating pool. 'After her trust was broken, she's nowhere near ready for an all-in long-term romance. But she's not closing herself off to anything anymore. 'She's open to new adventures in all respects and is making it her aim to say 'yes' to more things that excite her.' So far Helen and Gethin's respective reps haver refused to comment on the duo's relationship, but fellow guests at the BAFTAs earlier this month said the pair's interactions were very 'tactile'. A TV source told MailOnline: 'Helen and Gethin have an extremely close working relationship and there's a feeling in recent months their friendship has blossomed into a deeper connection. 'They're both keen to keep a lid on it to avoid public scrutiny but there's no denying their closeness both on and off screen.' The Welsh presenter has in the past expressed his admiration for his co-star after they took part in a 24-hour live TV marathon in aid of Comic Relief earlier this year. Taking to social media in March following their epic TV stint, Gethin shared his admiration for Helen and despite having spent 24 hours together, revealed that he called her up just an hour later. Alongside a selection of images of the pair looking close during their TV marathon, he penned: 'And a little appreciation post for this super woman @helenskelton. Unbelievable physical and mental resilience… 'Loves a laugh but a deep thinker (I had to remind her a few times we were live on tv). 'It says a lot that you can spend 24hrs non stop with someone and still call them an hour later for a debrief . Respect means we can be honest with each other always. 'There was NO time at all, at any time during this challenge, not one, where I wanted to throw her off the rink. Never once. Didn't even come into mind.'
