David Beckham have been spotted partying with King Charles and Queen Camilla after being snubbed for a knighthood.
David and Victoria got dressed up the nines for their invite to Highgrove House, the Gloucestershire home of the royals, for a star studded dinner that also included the likes of actors Dame Helen Mirren and Stanley Tucci and his wife Felicity Blunt, fashion designer Donatella Versace, former British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful and chefs Raymond Blanc and Angela Hartnett.
Posh and Becks were seen sharing a joke with the King before posing for photos in front of a grand fireplace. David, 49, looked dapper as always in a black tuxedo. While wife Victoria, 50, appeared almost bridal in a stunning floor length white dress with a cinched waist and split sleeves.
The palace invite reportedly said it was for a “celebration of slow food and slow fashion.” The food is said to have came courtesy of world-renowned chef Francesco Mazzei. While the menu, crafted “entirely using British ingredients,” was inspired by Italian-American actor Tucci, who hosts Tucci: The Heart of Italy series on National Geographic.
Guests at the exclusive event tucked into rare and pasture salumi, Tuscan style pate and coppa, Yorkshire pecorino cheese puffs and British vegetables caponata tartelletta to start. This was followed by Scottish crab panzanella, Westcombe ricotta and Highgrove fine herbs ravioli, Isle of Wight tomato passata, Suffolk red porchetta, pumpkin and sage mash and Tuscan kale. While pudding was Zuppa inglese and biscotti.
It comes after the former Manchester United legend once again failed to be recognised in the honours list in December 2024. Beckham is one of the most recognisable names and faces in British sport, having captained the England team and enjoying a superb career that has seen him play for Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan and PSG, winning major trophies across the continent – including the Premier League, La Liga and the Champions League.
He has also gone on to become the founder and owner of MLS side Inter Miami and given his notable services to sport, many fans have called him a “sir in waiting”. But Beckham has been kept waiting in his bid to earn a knighthood, after failing to add to the OBE award he was given back in 2003.
His latest failed acknowledgement by the royals comes more than seven years after shocking emails were leaked in 2017, which may have set him back in his goal to receive a knighthood in the near future.
In the emails, he is said to have branded the honours committee “unappreciative c***s” and added that he “didn’t care about being knighted” – though the ex-midfielder has claimed some of the emails had been doctored. The leaked emails claim Beckham said: “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.”
He is also reported to have slammed opera star Katherine Jenkins after she was given an OBE. “Katherine Jenkins OBE for what? Singing at the rugby and going to see the troops. F***ing joke.”
Though David and Victoria were once close with the King’s youngest son, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan and even attended their lavish Windsor wedding in 2018, their friendship is thought to have soured in recent years with reports claiming they are not even on speaking terms these days following a ‘frosty’ incident.
Author Tom Bower alleged in his book, House of Beckham, that Meghan was furious after an article about her “growing friendship” with Victoria was published by The Sun. It claimed: “Their [Meghan and Victoria’s] love of pricey facials and glamorous blow-dries has become the foundation for a growing friendship.”
After being accused of spreading gossip, which Victoria is said to be hurt by “as that’s the last thing she would ever do”, husband David and her sons are said to be “holding a major grudge”. An insider told the Express that David was very protective of his wife and didn’t think she should give Harry or Meghan another chance.
The source told the publication: “They’re just so offended and angry on her behalf and think she’s being way too nice about it all. As far as they’re concerned, there is no going back.” The source added that the ex footballer is a royalist who wouldn’t be ‘disloyal’ to Charles and Camilla, who they have a good relationship with, by “welcoming Harry and Meghan back”.
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