Latest news with #KingsFoundation
Fox News
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
David Beckham edges closer to knighthood at King Charles event with Meryl Streep and Kate Winslet
Several stars joined King Charles III to mark a special occasion. On Thursday, the British monarch hosted the King's Foundation's annual awards ceremony at St. James's Palace in London. The organization is marking its 35th year, People magazine reported. David Beckham, Kate Winslet and Meryl Streep were among the famous faces spotted at the event, which featured 200 guests. Stanley Tucci and Penny Lancaster were also in attendance. Beckham's appearance is notable as the 50-year-old is reportedly gearing up to be knighted by the king. His wife, Victoria Beckham, would then be known as "Lady Beckham." The co-owner of Inter Miami CF and Salford City became an ambassador for the foundation in 2024. Fox News Digital reached out to a spokesperson for the Beckhams and Buckingham Palace for comment. According to People, the charity has trained more than 115,000 students in traditional craft and environmental education over its 35-year tenure. The outlet noted that it has positively affected more than 500,000 lives through sustainable urban planning. The King's Foundation was begun by Charles, 76, in 1990 when he was the Prince of Wales. His goal was to support "communities where people, places and the planet can coexist harmoniously." Today, the charity offers educational courses for almost 15,000 students annually, overseas projects revitalizing communities and historic buildings, and health and well-being programs for nearly 2,000 people every year. The king presented the King Charles III Harmony Award to Professor Muhammad Yunus from Bangladesh, People reported. The 2006 Nobel Peace laureate has founded more than 50 social business companies and encouraged sustainable projects. In 2024, Beckham announced in a statement that he was eager to work with the foundation to help inspire young people in his home country. "I'm excited to be working with The King's Foundation and to have the opportunity to help raise awareness of the charity's work," Beckham said at the time. "I've always been keen to help young people to expand their horizons, and I'm particularly looking forward to supporting the Foundation's education programs and its efforts to ensure young people have greater access to nature," he shared. "Having developed a love for the countryside, I'm also on a personal mission to learn more about rural skills which [are] so central to the Foundation's work," he added. The star received an OBE (Order of the British Empire) in 2003. The Guardian also pointed out that the former Manchester United player was put forward to receive a knighthood over 10 years ago when he was nominated in 2011. In addition to playing for England's national soccer team over 100 times, Beckham has been recognized for his charitable work with children from underprivileged backgrounds, People magazine reported. "It is utterly ridiculous that it has taken until now to honor David Beckham, who is something of a phenomenon, with a knighthood," royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams previously told Fox News Digital. "He has done a great deal for charity, especially UNICEF, and was involved in bringing the Olympic Games to London in 2012," he shared. "The value of his endorsement is simply amazing. From his tattoos to his footwear, there is a fascination with everything about him. His wife, Victoria, who also received an OBE for her work as a designer, was a member of the Spice Girls, one of the most successful girl bands of all time." WATCH: KING CHARLES RETURNS HOME AFTER HOSPITALIZATION FROM CANCER TREATMENT SIDE EFFECTS Just last month, Beckham joined Charles at the Royal Horticultural Society's Chelsea Flower Show in London, People reported. The outlet noted that Beckham was wearing a rose that was named in the king's honor. He previously attended the King Foundation's celebratory dinner at Highgrove House, the king's family residence, with Victoria, 51, in February.
Telegraph
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
David Beckham's knighthood demonstrates everything wrong with the honours system
There's a lot of noise around David Beckham this week – and, for once, it's not about the supposed feud involving him and Victoria with their son Brooklyn and Brooklyn's wife Nicola Peltz. All the signs are that the former England footballer is to be given a knighthood in the forthcoming King's Birthday Honours. Many will see it as a well-deserved accolade for a man who played more than 100 times for his country and captained the England squad. And he has since gone on to do his bit for charity, from UNICEF to being an ambassador for the King's Foundation. When certain celebrities skipped the queue, Beckham patiently waited in line with the rest of us to pay his respects to Elizabeth II during her lying in state in Westminster Hall. But while it's good to learn that Becks will soon become Sir David, it's less encouraging that the kind of people who really deserve gongs – the volunteers who are the backbone of Britain – have been ignored these past few days, despite the fact that this has been Volunteers Week. This is supposed to be the time of year when we hear about the people who litter pick, visit the elderly, give children extra help with reading, serve teas on hospital stalls – and even save lives by manning lifeboats. But Volunteers Week has been well under the radar. With the King's Birthday Honours coming up, the attention will be not only on Sir David, but all kinds of other celebrities too. Scour the honours lists when they are published in a few days time and the chances are that, as usual, the top gongs will go to other sports stars as well as musicians to join Sir Mick, Sir Paul, Sir Elton, Sir Rod, and Sir Cliff in the pop pantheon. There's bound to be yet another theatrical dame. Meanwhile, well-paid local authority chief executives and elite civil servants will also secure honours, as if the high salary and equally sizeable pension isn't enough for a would-be Sir Humphrey. This system is now so broken that the people who truly deserve recognition – the volunteers on whom Britain relies to give their time and skills for free – receive the lowlier gongs if any mention at all. I doubt any of them do it in the hope they will one day secure an OBE or a British Empire Medal. But a little more recognition would surely go a long way. It particularly matters now because recognition puts the spotlight on volunteering – something worryingly in decline. Balancing family and your job, irregular working hours, and the women who might once have volunteered because they didn't work but now have fulfilling careers – all these are reasons why fewer people step up to help in all kinds of endeavours, from scout groups to nature reserves. Covid didn't help, either: many older volunteers disappeared during the pandemic and didn't return. This is why publicity is vital. Those of us who do volunteer – and mine is hardly in the saving lives on a lifeboat category, but instead involves a few hours being a guide in an idyllic garden – know how personally beneficial it is. You learn new skills, meet people, spend some time out of the house. It's the ideal incentive for putting down your smartphone: you can't volunteer if you are glued to a screen. These personal benefits are matched by the benefits to society. Back in 2020, the National Churches Trust did some groundbreaking research which assessed that the contribution to society as a whole of churches – and most of the benefit was the support services churches provide, such as lunch clubs, youth groups and food banks – was worth a remarkable £55 billion to the economy. But there's another reason why volunteering matters. It's about the kind of country we live in. It's vital that the temptation for services to be taken over by the state is resisted – not just because we can't afford it financially, but we can't afford it in terms of what it would do to society. A statist society loses something profound – a sense that as individuals we can contribute something not for financial gain or because we're ordered to do so but out of a sense of service. We need that reflected in the honours system before it's lost for good.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
David Beckham ‘to receive long-awaited knighthood' in King's birthday honours next week
Football icon David Beckham will reportedly be awarded a knighthood next week. According to a report in The Sun, the former England captain's knighthood will be announced in the King's birthday honours list. The recognition comes over two decades after Beckham, 50, was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003, which acknowledged his contributions to football and charity. Through his playing career, he amassed 115 caps for the England national team and achieved domestic and international success with clubs including Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, Paris Saint-Germain, and AC Milan. He captained the national team for more than five years and is particularly remembered for his 2001 free-kick against Greece that sent England to the 2002 World Cup. Beyond his sporting achievements, Beckham has been an active ambassador for Unicef and, more recently, the King's Foundation, focusing on education and environmental initiatives. He said at the time: 'I'm excited to be working with The King's Foundation and to have the opportunity to help raise awareness of the charity's work. 'I've always been keen to help young people to expand their horizons and I'm particularly looking forward to supporting the foundation's education programmes and its efforts to ensure young people have greater access to nature. 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. '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.' In May this year, King Charles III and Camilla attended the RHS Chelsea Flower Show alongside Beckham, who wore the King's Rose on his lapel, a striped variety named after the monarch. In January this year, Beckham was honoured with a Crystal Award at the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Switzerland, for his 'extraordinary leadership and humanitarianism' in protecting 'the rights of the most vulnerable children'. 'Today, there are more children in need and at risk than any time in recent history, and it is always the most vulnerable children who face the biggest challenges – especially girls,' he said on stage. 'Girls are held back by poverty, girls are held back by violence, girls are held back by discrimination.' 'I'm lucky enough to be a father of three boys and one beautiful girl. I want my daughter Harper to have the same opportunities as her brothers, and that should be the case for all girls everywhere.' In 2022, Beckham was part of a 13-hour queue with members of the public to pay his respects to Queen Elizabeth II as she lay in state at Westminster Hall. The forthcoming honour will also extend to Beckham's wife, Victoria, who will be known as 'Lady Beckham' after the formal announcement. The Independent has reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment.
The Independent
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
David Beckham to finally be knighted more than 20 years after receiving OBE
David Beckham is reportedly set to be knighted next week, according to The Sun. The knighthood comes over two decades after Beckham was appointed an OBE in 2003 for his contributions to football and charity. Beckham amassed 115 caps for the England national team and achieved success with clubs like Manchester United and Real Madrid; he also captained the national team for over five years. Beyond sports, Beckham has been an active ambassador for UNICEF and the King's Foundation, focusing on education and environmental initiatives. The forthcoming honour will also extend to Beckham's wife, Victoria, who will be known as 'Lady Beckham' after the formal announcement.
The Independent
06-06-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
David Beckham ‘to receive long-awaited knighthood' in King's birthday honours next week
Football icon David Beckham will reportedly be awarded a knighthood next week. According to a report in The Sun, the former England captain's knighthood will be announced in the King's birthday honours list. The recognition comes over two decades after Beckham, 50, was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003, which acknowledged his contributions to football and charity. Through his playing career, he amassed 115 caps for the England national team and achieved domestic and international success with clubs including Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, Paris Saint-Germain, and AC Milan. He captained the national team for more than five years and is particularly remembered for his 2001 free-kick against Greece that sent England to the 2002 World Cup. Beyond his sporting achievements, Beckham has been an active ambassador for Unicef and, more recently, the King's Foundation, focusing on education and environmental initiatives. He said at the time: 'I'm excited to be working with The King's Foundation and to have the opportunity to help raise awareness of the charity's work. 'I've always been keen to help young people to expand their horizons and I'm particularly looking forward to supporting the foundation's education programmes and its efforts to ensure young people have greater access to nature. 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. '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.' In May this year, King Charles III and Camilla attended the RHS Chelsea Flower Show alongside Beckham, who wore the King's Rose on his lapel, a striped variety named after the monarch. In January this year, Beckham was honoured with a Crystal Award at the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Switzerland, for his 'extraordinary leadership and humanitarianism' in protecting 'the rights of the most vulnerable children'. 'Today, there are more children in need and at risk than any time in recent history, and it is always the most vulnerable children who face the biggest challenges – especially girls,' he said on stage. 'Girls are held back by poverty, girls are held back by violence, girls are held back by discrimination.' 'I'm lucky enough to be a father of three boys and one beautiful girl. I want my daughter Harper to have the same opportunities as her brothers, and that should be the case for all girls everywhere.' In 2022, Beckham was part of a 13-hour queue with members of the public to pay his respects to Queen Elizabeth II as she lay in state at Westminster Hall. The forthcoming honour will also extend to Beckham's wife, Victoria, who will be known as 'Lady Beckham' after the formal announcement.
