Littler, Humphries, Wade & Beckham in King's Honours

Darts players Luke Littler and Luke Humphries have become MBEs in the King's Birthday Honours, while Virginia Wade is made a CBE and knighthoods are confirmed for David Beckham and Billy Boston.

The awards for teenage world champion Littler and world number one Humphries are further evidence of darts' booming popularity.

Former tennis player Wade, meanwhile, is the only British woman to have won titles at all four majors. She is honoured for her services to the sport and charity.

News of former England football captain Beckham becoming a 'Sir' emerged last week, while rugby league legend Boston was knighted on Monday.

Motorcyclist Michael Dunlop - the winner of a record 33 Isle of Man TT races, will become an MBE. The Northern Irish rider has carried on racing after the death of his father, brother and uncle in road accidents.

Aston Villa striker Rachel Daly - capped 84 times by England - is another to become an MBE, along with golfer Trish Johnson, BBC gymnastics commentator Christine Still, Bury FC chair Marcel de Matas and former Great Britain basketball player Julius Joseph.

Boxer Natasha Jonas, former Great Britain ice hockey captain Saffron Lane and wheelchair tennis player Andy Lapthorne are also honoured along with former England cricketers Steven Davies, external and David 'Syd' Lawrence.

Deta Hedman - the winner of more than 200 titles and the first black woman to play in the PDC World Darts Championship - is made an OBE, as is former England cricketer Devon Malcolm.

Retired Paralympic swimming champion and volleyball player Monica Vaughan and two-time Olympic triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee are also appointed OBEs.

So too is Oldham Athletic owner Frank Rothwell, for charitable services to dementia research.

Littler and Humphries are honoured in the week they compete together for England at the World Cup of Darts in Germany.

"This is an amazing and unexpected honour but one which I am very grateful for," said Littler.

"To receive a recognition like this is something I had never thought would be possible, and it is a proud moment.

"It's unbelievable what I've done for my sport; I'm happy, my family is happy and I can't wait to receive it."

In January, Littler - aged 17 - became the youngest world darts champion in history, beating three-time winner Michael van Gerwen 7-3 in the PDC final.

The teenager was named BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year in December and was also runner-up for the main award.

He is not the youngest sporting figure to feature on the honours list, however - Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds was made an MBE aged 14 in 2009.

Littler's rise, which has also brought Grand Slam of Darts, World Series and UK Open titles, has helped fuel a boom for darts, with record crowds, prize money and numbers of young people taking up the game.

Humphries, 30, the reigning World Matchplay, Premier League, Players Championship Finals and World Masters champion, said he "couldnt believe it" when notified of his award.

"Everyone's talking about darts now, and I think that we're two of the pioneering parts of that," he added.

"We've changed the face of darts over the last couple of years. It's starting to become a younger man's game. It's nice to be at the forefront of that."

His most recent big victory came in the Premier League last month, when he defeated 2024 champion Littler in the final.

The pair join fellow darts players Keith Deller, Trina Gulliver, Fallon Sherrock, John Lowe and the late Eric Bristow as MBEs.

Wade's royal connection endures after she famously won Wimbledon in 1977 - Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee year

Wade, now 79, remains the last British woman to secure the singles crown at SW19.

She won three Grand Slam singles titles in all, having also triumphed at the US Open and Australian Open. Wade also secured women's doubles titles in New York and Melbourne, along with the French Open.

She went on to become a successful commentator and pundit, and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1989.

This is the third time she has been included in a Birthday Honours list, having made the Queen's in both 1973 (MBE) and 1986 (OBE).

Beckham, 50, was appointed an OBE in 2003 and receives further recognition for both his football career and charity work.

He played 115 times for his country as well as for Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, Paris St-Germain and AC Milan, retiring in 2013.

"Growing up in east London with parents and grandparents who were so patriotic and proud to be British, I never could have imagined I would receive such a truly humbling honour," said Beckham.

"It will take a little while for the news to sink in but I'm immensely proud and it's such an emotional moment for me to share with my family."

Beckham was reportedly first nominated for a knighthood in 2011.

In 2017 several British newspapers printed details of leaked emails in which Beckham allegedly criticised the honours system and the honours committee.

A spokesperson for Beckham said at the time the emails were "hacked", "doctored" and "private".

Beckham played a key role in helping London secure the 2012 Olympics, and has been an ambassador for children's charity Unicef since 2005.

He also became an ambassador for The King's Foundation in 2024 - supporting King Charles' education programme and efforts to ensure young people have a greater understanding of nature.

"I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to represent Britain around the world and work with incredible organisations that are supporting communities in need and inspiring the next generation," Beckham added.

"I'm so lucky to be able to do the work that I do and I'm grateful to be recognised for work that gives me so much fulfilment."

Boston received his honour from King Charles at Buckingham Palace, making him the sport's first knight in its 130-year history.

The 90-year-old was awarded his knighthood early - before the birthday honours list was officially announced - because of concerns over his health.

Cardiff-born, he was one of the greatest stars of rugby league and a trailblazer for black sports stars when he played for Wigan and Great Britain in the 1950s and 1960s.

Boston, who has been living with dementia, was accompanied at the Palace by his family and representatives of his former club.

Knighthood

David Beckham (former England footballer), for services to sport and charity

Billy Boston (former rugby league player), for services to rugby league football

Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Virginia Wade (former tennis player), for services to tennis and charity

Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Alistair Brownlee (former triathlete), for services to triathlon and charity

Deta Hedman (darts player), for services to darts and charity

Devon Malcolm (former cricket player), for services to cricket and to diversity in cricket

Terence Pateman (Chair, Northern Amateur Football League), for services to grassroots sport and to community relations

Frank Rothwell (Oldham Athletic owner), for charitable services to dementia research

Stephen Sutherland (commercial manager, Charlton Athletic Football Club), for services to sport

Monica Vaughan (former Paralympic swimmer), for services to sport

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Neil Booth (former lawn bowler), for services to lawn bowls

Anwen Butten (lawn bowler), for services to lawn bowls, to cancer care and to the community in Wales

Maureen Clark (former netball player), for services to netball in Surrey

Jill Coulter-Sloan (head coach at Craigavon golf and ski centre), for services to disability sport

Rachel Daly (footballer), for services to association football

Christopher Davies (runner), for services to running and to health and wellbeing

Steven Davies (former cricketer), for services to sport

Marcel de Matas (lately chair, Bury Football Club), for services to association football

Michael Dunlop (motorcycle road racer), for services to motor cycle racing

Bryan Henderson (director of cricket and NFL, Sky), for services to cricket

Frederick Hudson, for services to Arsenal Football Club community

Luke Humphries (darts player), for services to darts

Patricia Johnson (golfer), for services to women's golf

Natasha Jonas (boxer), for services to boxing and to the community in Liverpool

Julius Joseph (basketball player), for services to basketball

Lucy Katan (founder, British Grooms Association), for services to sport

Andrew Lapthorne (wheelchair tennis player), for services to tennis

Saffron Lane, nee Allen (ice hockey player), for services to sport

David Lawrence (former cricketer), for services to cricket

Luke Littler (darts player), for services to darts

Grace Muir (founder and chief executive officer, homing ex-racehorses organisation scheme), for services to charity, to animal welfare and to education

Christine Pascall (lately president, England Golf), for services to golf

Sanjay Patel (lately managing director, The Hundred), for services to cricket

Sheelagh Redpath (lately technical officials co-ordinator for netball, Commonwealth Games), for services to netball

Christine Still (commentator), for services to gymnastics

British Empire Medal (BEM)

Joseph Adams, for services to Altrincham Football Club and to charitable fundraising

Kathryn Burgess (founder, Cheshire Girls Football League), for services to girls football in mid-Cheshire

Colin Dalgarno (President, Strathaven Rugby Club; Chair, Whiteshawgate 3G Sports Trust and volunteer), for services to the community in Strathaven

Valerie Hoyle (secretary, Rotherham United Women Football Club), for services to association football and to the community in Rotherham

Zarit Hussain, for services to cricket

John O'Connor (Director, Angling Cymru), for services to recreational angling in Wales