Prince William Knights Sports Icon in Royal Ceremony

Gareth Southgate Honored with Knighthood for His Legacy in English Football

Gareth Southgate, the former England men’s national team manager, was officially knighted by Prince William at Windsor Castle on June 25, marking one of the highest honors bestowed in British public life.

The 54-year-old was recognized for his extensive contributions to English soccer, having led the national team through one of its most competitive and emotionally resonant eras in recent memory

A Proud Moment for a Royal Soccer Dad

Wearing a traditional black suit with coat-tails and a red tie, Southgate bowed before the Prince of Wales, who tapped him on both shoulders with a sword and presented him with the medal. Kensington Palace later shared a video of the event, captioned: “Congratulations Sir Gareth Southgate on a well-deserved knighthood. From your Crystal Palace debut to being England Manager. Thank you for everything you’ve done for football.”

Prince William, 43, has long been known for his love of soccer and previously served as President-Designate of the Football Association before transitioning into the role of patron last year. His admiration for Southgate has been evident over the years, and their shared passion for the sport made the honor even more meaningful.

William’s three children—Prince George, 11; Princess Charlotte, 10; and Prince Louis, 7—are also fans of the sport. During the Euro 2024 final last summer, Prince George accompanied his father to the match to cheer on England, while Charlotte and Louis showed their team spirit from home in customized England jerseys.

Speaking to The Sun earlier this year, Prince William revealed that his children play a role in his match-day rituals. “If I’m home alone with the children, I probably don’t have the pre-match pint, but I do have a bit of superstition about where I sit when I’m watching them,” he said. “If we’re not doing very well, I start moving round the house quite quickly, and I put the children in different positions hoping that’s going to change our luck.”

Following his departure from the role last July, Southgate acknowledged that while the transition was strange, he has found peace with stepping away.

“It is a little bit strange, but also I’m not missing it,” he told BBC Sport. “I think it’s important that I am on that sofa and out of their way, you know. It’s theirs to take on now, and I think it’s important that I give the team as much space as possible.”

Southgate’s Legacy

According to his official England Football bio, Southgate took charge of the national team in 2016 and held the position through 2024. Under his leadership, England reached the 2018 World Cup semifinals, the Euro 2020 final, the 2022 World Cup quarterfinals, and most recently, the Euro 2024 final.

“I feel very emotional about it. I am surprised by it,” Southgate told BBC Sport. “Words are really quite inadequate to describe it. It comes out of the blue.”

The former Crystal Palace and Middlesbrough defender managed a total of 102 games for England, per The Independent. He was previously honored with an OBE in 2019 for his services to football.

According to BBC Sport, Southgate is the seventh football manager to be knighted, following in the footsteps of legends like Sir Walter Winterbottom, Sir Alf Ramsey, and Sir Bobby Robson.