Inside Becks's reinvention

After almost 20 years of waiting, David Beckham has finally got his knighthood.

- Katie Rosseinsky

Arise, Sir David. More than two decades after receiving an OBE for services to football – and, if the rumours are to be believed, after almost as long spent lobbying for an upgrade – David Beckham was knighted by the King at Windsor Castle yesterday, as his parents and wife Victoria (whose fashion brand made him a bespoke suit for the occasion) looked on. “This is without doubt my proudest moment,” he said afterwards.

The knighthood is a crowning glory for the former England captain, recognising a long career in sport and extensive charity work, and will surely have been worth the wait for a star who has made no secret of his desire to secure a top title. But it is also the latest stage in a canny reputational reboot that has gone into overdrive in the last few years, burnishing his status as a national treasure (and cleverly smoothing over past controversies).

These days, it’s not uncommon to see photos of a besuited Beckham sharing a chummy joke with King Charles at various charitable events (he became an ambassador for the King’s Foundation, Charles’ project to support sustainable communities, last year). They both share a love for nature and gardening, with David’s enthusiasm for growing the perfect carrot or harvesting his homegrown honey knowing no bounds. Not for nothing have people wondered whether he is about to do a “Meghan” and launch a show that is a modern version of Richard Briers in The Good Life.