David Beckham, one of Britain's most celebrated soccer players, was knighted by King Charles at Windsor Castle on Tuesday, recognising his decades-long contribution to sport and charitable causes.

The 50-year-old former England soccer captain received the honour at the royal residence, more than 20 years after he was awarded a separate royal honour recognising his contribution to football.

Beckham, a lifelong admirer of the royal family, was dressed in a suit designed by his wife, Victoria Beckham, a fashion designer and former member of the Spice Girls pop band.

'Doesn't get any better'

He and King Charles shared a brief but warm exchange during the ceremony, with the king seen smiling and laughing as they spoke.

Coming out of the ceremony, Beckham said he cried when he first found out he was being awarded the knighthood.

"It's such a big moment for our family and it's so special," Beckham told reporters, joking that he would not mind if his kids called him "sir dad".

"I'm very proud to have such a special honour given to me. I grew up in a very humble background in the East End of London; always wanted to be a professional footballer; and then I'm stood here at Windsor Castle with the most important monarchy in the world," he said, adding that "it doesn't get any better".

From east London to global stardom

Born in east London, Beckham made his Premier League debut for Manchester United in 1995, two years after he joined as a trainee. He went on to win six league titles, two FA Cups and the Champions League with the club, before playing for Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.

He retired in 2013 with 115 England caps.

Known for his precise free kicks and crossing ability, Beckham also became one of the most commercially successful athletes of his era.

He has worked with brands such as Adidas, luxury brand Armani, high-street retailer H&M and Pepsi and has been a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF since 2005. According to the 2025 Sunday Times Rich List, Beckham and his wife have a combined net worth of 500 million pounds ($671 million).

'Huge royalist' with ties to monarchy

Beckham has long expressed admiration for the royal family, describing himself as a "huge royalist".

In 2022, Beckham queued for more than 12 hours to pay his respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II as she lay in state at Westminster Hall, declining offers to skip the line.

"I grew up in a household of royalists," he told ITV at the time. "If my grandparents would have been [alive] today, I know that they would have wanted to be here."

He attended both Prince William's 2011 wedding to Kate Middleton and Prince Harry's 2018 wedding to Meghan Markle.

Beckham has also developed a personal rapport with the King, sharing a mutual interest in gardening.

Last year, he was appointed an ambassador for the King's Foundation, which supports education and sustainability initiatives.

Life beyond the pitch

Beckham married Victoria Adams, known as "Posh Spice" from the all-women Spice Girls pop group, in 1999. The couple have four children.

They opened up about their relationship in two Netflix documentaries. The series touched on the pressures of fame, family tensions and the challenges they faced during Beckham's playing career, including tabloid speculation and time spent apart due to his international transfers.

Beckham has described his family as his "greatest achievement".