Rod Stewart jokes about David Beckham receiving a knighthood at royal event

Sir Rod Stewart has joked that David Beckham’s knighthood is “coming soon” at the King’s Foundation Awards at Buckingham Palace.

While taking to the stage to congratulate the winners, Sir Rod quipped about the footballer, who has recently been announced as an ambassador to the King’s charity.

“I’m wonderfully honoured to be a knight, and David yours is coming soon,” he said.

The crowd responded with laughter and cheering before the King arrived for the awards ceremony on Tuesday night.

In a short speech to the inaugural King Charles III Harmony Award winner, the King said: “This award was created to recognise the individuals who champion the values which underpin the King’s Foundation’s mission and my own hope for a world in which we live in harmony with nature.”

Beckham presented the Emerging Talent award to Kadijah Dumbuya who undertook a King’s Foundation Course in fine arts.

Lady Penny and Sir Rod were united in their admiration for the King and what he has achieved.

“It’s wonderful, it’s a great honour. I come from a very poor family and to find myself here in this wonderful place is a great honour. We all have to remember where we come from,” Sir Rod said.

The singer said he had “huge admiration” for the way the King had continued to work throughout his cancer treatment.

“He had treatment today, he told me. I went through all that. I had treatment five days a week. Like him, I was still working. He’s remarkable,” he added.

Sir Rod laughed mischievously when asked about his exchange with Beckham.

“He’s a great man. I know him well and he can take it, he has a great sense of humour,” he said. Asked about his slip of the tongue on the microphone he grinned and said: “I did swear, didn’t I? Well, there’s always got to be someone getting the party started!”

Lady Penny said: “Just like my husband, His Majesty’s work ethic is incredible. He was the driving force behind looking after the planet, our communities, our historical buildings. He’s been that driving force for so many years before everyone got on the bandwagon.

“He knew exactly what he was talking about and the fact that he was itching to get back to work and do what he does best. He wants to make sure he makes his mark and raises enough awareness among people, so the younger generation will come through and follow on his work.

“Her Majesty, of course, was the shining beacon and he was always in her shadow. He’s had the best teacher in the world. But it’s his time now. We have such respect for him and if we can do anything tiny bit to support him and his dreams and wishes to make it a better place then we absolutely will. We have always been supporters.”

Alan Titchmarsh, who is an ambassador to the foundation, said: “If ever you have doubts about the efficacy of whether this is worthwhile then check out the people here who have been trained to make furniture, to build houses, the effects of global warming and what we can do about it.

“They do it, they don’t talk about it. You can have as many conferences as you want but they don’t achieve anything. The King’s Foundation does, it achieves things.”

He said he had earlier chatted to Beckham about gardening, who had explained that his hands were covered in scratches from planting roses in his garden.

“Yes, but he’ll never get me to be as good as football as I can get him to be good at gardening. The main thing is that he is keen. He loves doing it. He’s discovered what I discovered at ten,’ he smiled.

Isabelle Pennington-Edmead, 27, from Warrington, won the Young Entrepreneur Award after graduating from The King’s Foundation Modern Artisan programme and has set up her own fashion label. She received her award from actress and model Sienna Miller.

She said: “It’s difficult for people like me from the background I come from to get that kind of training. Graduates struggle to find a job and that hands-on experience. It was a very unique course. 

“The King has been so supportive and wants to help creatives and respects creatives and respects the fact that not everyone comes from a background where you have an automatic road into the industry. Without the Foundation I wouldn’t have had the stepping stones to do what  I’ve done.”