David Beckham has been tipped for a knighthood after growing close to King Charles III in recent months.

David Beckham is rumoured to be on the cusp of receiving a knighthood in the upcoming New Year’s Honours List (Image: GETTY)

David Beckham is rumoured to be on the cusp of receiving a knighthood in the upcoming New Year’s Honours List, despite previously claiming he “didn’t care about being knighted” in leaked emails.

The former England captain, aged 49, who was honoured with an OBE in 2003, has been passed over for a knighthood since then.

However, according to exclusive information from the Mirror, Beckham’s recent rapport with the King could see him finally receive the prestigious accolade, acknowledging his extensive charity efforts globally.

Beckham later claimed that some of the emails had been doctored and were therefore fake (Image: GETTY)

Beckham and his wife Victoria were unexpected attendees at a state banquet on Tuesday, celebrating the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and his wife Sheikha Jawaher.

Royal insiders have lauded Beckham as “the perfect guest” for such a distinguished event. Yet, with a year brimming with British sporting triumphs, including Olympic victories and the England men’s football team reaching the Euros final, Beckham might still face a delay in receiving this honour.

His chances seemed to have taken a hit back in 2017 when a series of controversial emails were leaked, revealing Beckham’s frustration with the honours committee, whom he branded “unappreciative c***s”, and his indifference towards knighthood.

The former England captain was reportedly disgruntled over not receiving a knighthood, allegedly writing: “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.”

The football legend also appeared to criticise those who have been honoured, reportedly targeting singer Katherine Jenkins, who received an OBE, by allegedly questioning: “For what? Singing at the rugby and going to see the troops.”

Beckham later claimed that some of the emails had been doctored and were therefore fake. Despite remaining a fan favourite, some of his post-retirement decisions have raised eyebrows.

He was embroiled in a tax avoidance scheme in 2013, although he was later cleared of any wrongdoing and reinstated on the official recommendations list two years ago.

In 2022, he stirred further controversy by accepting an ambassador role for Qatar ahead of the World Cup, a position thought to earn him £150million over 10 years.Despite the gulf state’s record on human rights issues and stance on homosexuality, Beckham, a major advocate for Qatar hosting the tournament, participated in several promotional videos.

Beckham reportedly pocketed a cool £10million per annum for three years to endorse Qatar, with an option to extend. Yet, the cost to his reputation is yet to be determined following widespread backlash over his ambassadorial deal, given the country’s stringent laws on homosexuality.

Being gay is illegal in Qatar and any same-sex sexual activity can lead to a prison sentence of up to seven years.