King Charles is reportedly set to reward David Beckham for his loyalty years on the special occasion of the monarch’s Birthday Honours.
The former England football captain, 50, had been an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003, but he did not receive his knighthood over a major issue.
While many believe this was a longtime coming for the former athlete – for playing more than 100 times for his country, his charity work and now for being an ambassador for the King’s Foundation – some believe there is a major flaw in the system.
The Telegraph’s Editor, Catherine Pepinster, lamented that the system is “truly broken” and the “people who truly deserve recognition” have fallen through the cracks.
She noted that the “volunteers on whom Britain relies to give their time and skills for free” receive the “lowlier gongs if any mention at all”.
“I doubt any of them do it in the hope they will one day secure an OBE or a British Empire Medal,” she wrote. “But a little more recognition would surely go a long way. It particularly matters now because recognition puts the spotlight on volunteering – something worryingly in decline.”
The journalist was referring to when Beckham was first nominated for a knighthood in 2011. However, it never happened due to claims of tax evasions.
Then, in 2017, leaked emails emerged allegedly criticising the honours system. However, a spokesperson for David said at the time that the emails were “hacked”, “doctored” and “private”.
The journalist stated that the honours system should reflect that individuals “can contribute something not for financial gain or because we’re ordered to do so but out of a sense of service”.
Pepinster stressed that it should be done before a “statist society loses something profound”.