David Beckham’s dogged pursuit of a knighthood has finally paid off after years of charity work and courting the Royal Family.

The 50-year-old former England captain , who grew up in a working-class family in northeast London, is part of the Establishment now, a friend of the royals and superstars such as Elton John.

A role model for sportsmen and entrepreneurs alike, he is a symbol of social mobility in Britain, a country where – in spite of all the talk of the American dream – if you start off poor, you are more likely to end up rich than if you have humble beginnings in the United States.

Beckham, who has built a joint fortune worth £500m with his wife Victoria , the former Spice Girl turned fashion designer, has long begrudged the fact that he was unable to get his OBE, awarded

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