King Charles’ Birthday Honours list includes some of the biggest names in British sport.
From the arguably the most famous footballer of them all, David Beckham, and British tennis legend Virginia Wade, to two-time Olympic gold medal winner Alistair Brownleee and darts prodigy Luke Littler, ESPN breaks down some of the key names recognised.
Knighthoods
William “Billy” Boston
Rugby League’s first ever knighthood in the sport’s 130-year history has been bestowed upon Boston.
One of Rugby League’s most famous faces and a pioneer for Black sportsmen in the 1950s and 60s, Boston made 488 appearances for Wigan with an astounding try tally of 478.
The Cardiff-born wing made history becoming the first non-white player to be selected for a Great Britain Rugby League Lions tour in 1954.
David Beckham
Manchester United and England legend Beckham’s long wait for a knighthood has finally come to an end.
One of football’s most famous faces, Beckham made his United debut in 1992 and won six Premier League titles and a Champions League in his time at the club. He went on to become one of England’s greatest players, earning 115 senior caps — 59 of which as captain.
Beckham also played alongside Galacticos Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo at Real Madrid before made a trailblazing move to LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer. He ended his career in Europe with spells at AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.
CBEs
Virgina Wade
A three-time major winner and the most recent British woman to win Wimbledon (1977), Wade has received a CBE from King Charles.
OBEs
Deta Hedman
Born in Kingston, Jamaica and known as “The Heart of Darts,” Deta Hedman is a two-time World Masters winner and a three-time Dutch Open champion.
Alistair Brownlee
Brownlee is the only athlete to hold two Olympic titles in an individual triathlon event, winning Gold at London 2012 and in Rio in 2016.
The four-time triathlon world champion retired in November last year at the age of 36.
Monica Vaughan
One of Britain’s most successful paralympic swimmers, Vaughan won five gold medals at the 1976 games in Toronto. She has recieved an OBE at the age of 73.
Devon Malcolm
With 40 Test matches and 10 One-day Internationals under his belt, Malcolm was one of the fastest bowlers in world cricket on his day.
He started his career with Derbyshire before retiring at Leicestershire in 2003, finishing with over 1,000 first-class wickets.
MBEs
Luke Littler
Teenage sensation Luke Littler became the youngest ever winner of the Darts world championship in January aged just 17.
He won the 2024 BBC Young Sports Personality of The Year and was the runner-up in the main award in 2025.
Luke Humphries
Reigning orld No.1 and 2024 Darts world championship winner Luke Humphries is only the fourth man in the sport to earn the prestigious “Triple Crown.”
He defeated Littler in the 2024 World Championship final.
Rachel Daly
A member of the iconic England women’s squad that won Euro 2022 on home soil, the Aston Villa forward has been capped 84 times by her country, scoring 16 goals.
After coming through the ranks at Leeds United, Daly featured in every game for Great Britain at the 2020 Olympic games in Tokyo. She announced her England retirement in April 2024.
Andy Lapthorne
Wheelchair tennis player Andy Lapthorne is a 17-time grand slam winner in singles and doubles and holds four Paralympic medals.
Natasha Jonas
One of Liverpool’s finest exports and a trailblazer for British boxing, Jonas was the first British woman to qualify for, and win, at an Olympics in 2012.
She went on to become a two-weight world champion holding the unified WBC and WBO belts in the female light middleweight division.
Steven Davies
Steven Davies scored over 14,000 first-class runs in a distinguished career spanning 20 years at Worcestershire, Surrey and Somerset. He also played eight ODIs and five T20s for England.
David “Syd” Lawrence
Born in Gloucester to Jamaican parents, Lawrence, took over 500 wickets in 185 first-class appearances for Gloucestershire, along with 22 international wickets for England in five Test Matches and one ODI. He was diagnosed with Motor Neurone disease in 2024.
Michael Dunlop
Northern Irish motorcycle racer Dunlop holds the record for the number of wins and podiums at the prestigious Isle of Man TT. Known as “The Raging Bull,” he is a 124-time road race winner.
Trish Johnson
Bristol-born Johnson has enjoyed a range of success in her nearly 40-year golf career. Her two LPGA Championships and U.S Senior Women’s Open success have cemented her as one of the most successful Brits in women’s golf.
