David Beckham snubbed by King Charles years after bombshell email

David Beckham recently teamed up with King Charles to become his new charity ambassador, but there is still no knighthood in this year's Birthday Honours List. The snub comes after Sir Rod Steward took a cheeky swipe at the lack of title for the former England footballer during a swish event at Buckingham Palace earlier this month.

Beckham, who played for the biggest clubs in the world in Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan and PSG, and also captained his country at major international tournaments, has been snubbed again.

Even after the King recently unveiled the 49-year-old footballer as an ambassador for the King's Foundation after the pair discovered a shared love of homegrown honey.

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Beckham's name has been notably missing from previous honours lists, which led to Stewart, who became a sir in 2016, joking at the Palace event: "Penny and I are so honoured to be ambassadors for the King's trust. I'm also wonderfully honoured to be a knight. David, yours is coming soon."

Forty-eight-year-old Beckham earned 115 caps for England and has done a great deal for charity over the years, serving as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF.

He was awarded an OBE in 2003 but he has yet to be given the country's highest honour, much to his reported frustration and annoyance.

But it hasn't come in the 2024 Birthday Honours list with knighthoods going to post office leading campaigner Alan Bates, and Welsh politician Wayne David. Actress Imelda Staunton and fashion accessories designer Anya Hindmarch were all made dames in the list, while writer Armando Iannucci was made a CBE and cyclist Mark Cavendish was knighted.

It has long been rumoured that David, who is married to former Spice Girl Victoria, would be in line for an honour, especially after he endured a gruelling 13-hour wait in line to pay his respects to Queen Elizabeth II back in 2022.

Earlier this month, he visited the King at his Highgrove home to discuss "beekeeping tips". The ex-sports star was officially announced as a supporter of Charles's charitable organisation a few weeks after his private meeting with the monarch to gain more insight into its operations.

Beckham said: “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.”

There are concerns leaked emails from 2017 might still be damaging Beckham's chance of becoming a sir. These leaks revealed Beckham's frustration with the honours committee, whom he branded "unappreciative c***s", and his indifference towards being knighted, stating, "I expected nothing less. It's a disgrace to be honest and if I was American I would of got something like this 10 years ago." Furthermore, he appeared to question the accolade given to Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins in 2014, furiously asking: "For what? Singing at the rugby and going to see the troops."