The King has tapped the former England soccer captain for a new ambassadorship
David Beckham is taking on a new royal role with King Charles!
On June 1, The King’s Foundation announced that Beckham, 49, has signed on as an ambassador. King Charles, 75, established the charity as the Prince of Wales in 1990 to create improved communities where people, places and the planet can harmoniously coexist.
Last month, the former England soccer captain paid a visit to King Charles’ Highgrove Gardens in Gloucestershire to meet the monarch to learn more about the organization and check out some of the charity’s educational programs at workshops on site. The King’s Foundation offers educational courses for around 15,000 students each year, plus health and well-being programs for another 2,000 people annually.
Other initiatives include regeneration projects across the U.K. and overseas to revitalize communities and historic buildings.
“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 programs and its efforts to ensure young people have greater access to nature,” Beckham said in a statement.
“Having developed a love for the countryside, I’m also on a personal mission to learn more about rural skills which is so central to the Foundation’s work,” he continued.
“It was inspiring to hear from the King about the work of His Majesty’s Foundation during my recent visit to Highgrove Gardens — and compare beekeeping tips!” he added. The retired soccer star has documented the hobby on social media and shares an interest in beekeeping with Kate Middleton and Queen Camilla.
During his visit to Highgrove Gardens, which are the grounds of the King’s private country estate, Highgrove House, Beckham met students taking woodworking classes at the Snowdon School of Furniture through the King’s Foundation, as well as students from the Métiers d’art Embroidery Fellowship coordinated in partnership with CHANEL and Le19M.
Beckham previously supported another major campaign with royal ties when he presented at the Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony in Boston in December 2022 for the prestigious environmental prize established by Prince William.
The Times was first to report that the King and Beckham met about the foundation in May. The meeting reportedly fell a few days after Prince Harry’s quick trip to the U.K. for the 10-year anniversary service of the Invictus Games. A spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex, 39, had previously confirmed that he would not meet his father due to the monarch’s “full” schedule.
Beckham received his OBE from Queen Elizabeth for services to soccer in 2003 and has socially known the royal family for years, having attended the royal weddings of both Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011 and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018 with his wife, Victoria Beckham.
Like many Brits, Beckham stood in line for 12 hours in London to pay respects to the late Queen Elizabeth when her coffin was laid in state at Westminster Hall following her death in September 2022.
