David Beckham will not be getting a knighthood from King Charles for yet another year, despite his close relationship with the Royal Family, a source has claimed.
Speculation over whether the ex-footballer would receive the honour has been swirling ever since the monarch ascended to the throne.
However, he failed to make Charles’s birthday honours list, which was announced back in June as well as his New Year’s honours list last year and the year before.
Mr Beckham received an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2003 and has not received another title since.
But even though his appearances and collaborations with the royals this year, with the latest one being his attendance at King Charles’s state banquet at Buckingham Palace for the Amir of Qatar, sparked hope he could be getting the honour this year, a source has now come out and claimed he will not.
A source told the Mail: “It’s not happening for David this time around.”
The source added that another football figure would be getting a title – Gareth Southgate – England’s former manager who resigned earlier in the summer.
They said: “It’s Gareth’s big hurrah and David is thrilled for him.
“David knew it wouldn’t be his time and he is fine with that but you never know what is down the line.”
Meanwhile, Paul Burrell, the late Princess Diana’s former butler, claimed that Mr Beckham is “not old enough” to receive the honour.
He also said that he is too immersed in a “commercial phase” and will need to wait until his knighthood arrives.
Speaking on behalf of Slingo, Mr Burrell claimed: “We haven’t seen [David Beckham knighted] yet because A, he’s not old enough and B, he hasn’t earned his stripes yet and C, he’s still in a very commercial world. David Beckham is everywhere. He’s sponsoring and commercialising himself.
“And once this phase is over the commercial phase and he goes back into charitable work because you’ve seen him with William, you’ve seen him with the King.
“He’s obviously been fast-tracked for a knighthood, but not just yet and they’re keeping him just dangling for a while. Because, you know, they’re waiting to see what happens.”
