I wish I loved anything as much as David Beckham loves sucking up to royalty. David finally got his knighthood last year after years and years of royal bootlicking, but he’s still showing up for some in-person photo-ops with King Charles whenever Charles wants to get in the papers. On Sunday, King Charles attended the Chelsea Flower Show, and of course he stopped by Sir David’s “garden” at the show.
The King joined Sir David Beckham to tour his own garden at the Chelsea Flower Show, which included a nod to their shared love of beekeeping. The King’s Foundation Curious Garden was designed to reflect the monarch’s passion for plants and the importance of nature.
It also has plenty of references to Brand Beckham, a King’s Foundation ambassador, including gnomes and roses named after them both. The garden features a beehive, inspired by the King and Sir David’s shared enthusiasm for beekeeping and producing natural honey, and seven raised beds in a nod to Sir David’s football shirt number.
The King leaned forward to sniff the rose named in honour of Sir David by his daughter, Harper, to celebrate his 50th birthday.
The King was joined for his annual visit to the show by the Queen, the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
Perched on a shelf in the garden were four small gnomes with name tags: Charles III, Sir David, Alan, for co-creator Alan Titchmarsh, the television gardener, and Frances after Frances Tophill, the garden’s designer. The ban on gnomes was lifted this year for only the second time in the show’s history, the previous time being 2013 to mark the flower show’s centenary.
… There was a ban on gnomes…? British people are so fussy. Anyway, David Beckham co-designing a garden for the Chelsea Flower Show is fine, maybe even cool. But David’s obsequiousness towards Charles will always be funny to me. And I’ll always wonder if Victoria gets the ick when she sees David like this.
Meanwhile, another piece of David Beckham news came out recently – David is officially the UK’s first billionaire athlete, per the Sunday Times. He and Victoria are now worth £1.185 billion, and a good chunk of it is David’s stake in Inter Miami.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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RETRANSMITTED CORRECTING PHOTOGRAPHER’S BYLINE King Charles III and Queen Camilla, watched by Sir David Beckham (right) view the RHS and The King’s Foundation Curious Garden, during their visit to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London.
Featuring: King Charles III and Queen Camilla with Sir David Beckham in background
Where: London, United Kingdom
When: 17 May 2026
Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages**NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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Sir David Beckham smiles as King Charles III (left) visits the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London.
Featuring: Sir David Beckham and King Charles III
Where: London, United Kingdom
When: 17 May 2026
Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages**NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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King Charles III and Queen Camilla meet Sir David Beckham (second from left) as Alan Titchmarsh (left) looks on during their visit to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London.
Featuring: King Charles III and Queen Camilla meet Sir David Beckham (second from left) as Alan Titchmarsh (left)
Where: London, United Kingdom
When: 18 May 2026
Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages**NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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King Charles III and Queen Camilla, Sir David Beckham (third from right) and Alan Titchmarsh (right) pose for a photo during their visit to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London.
Featuring: King Charles III and Queen Camilla, Sir David Beckham (third from right) and Alan Titchmarsh (right)
Where: London, United Kingdom
When: 18 May 2026
Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages**NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
