Opera singer Katherine Jenkins and her husband Andrew Levitas were seated in Wimbledon's Royal Box on Monday, nine years after a public dispute involving a leaked email from David Beckham questioning her OBE. Jenkins, 46, arrived for the tournament alongside Levitas, taking a seat in the row behind Beckham, 51, who was accompanied by his mother Sandra. This arrangement mirrors seating from the previous year's Wimbledon.
The controversy first surfaced in 2017 with leaked emails, purportedly from Beckham, that questioned Jenkins's OBE award. One alleged email stated: "Katherine Jenkins OBE for what? Singing at the rugby and going to see the troops plus taking coke. F****** joke." The emails also reportedly touched on Beckham's stance on the Scottish referendum and tax-related investments.
Beckham's representatives at the time dismissed the leaked emails as "hacked and doctored" from a private account, describing the story as based on "outdated material taken out of context" that provided a "deliberately inaccurate picture."
Jenkins was awarded an OBE in 2014 for her contributions to charities and for entertaining troops in war zones. Beckham was formally knighted by King Charles III in November 2025 for his services to sport and charity.
Earlier reports suggest tension between Jenkins and Beckham dates back to 2012 when Jenkins publicly denied an alleged affair, a denial that reportedly angered the former England captain. In 2018, Jenkins stated she was still awaiting an apology from Beckham.
Reflecting on the alleged comments, Jenkins previously said she felt proud of her achievements and did not understand why she was the target of such remarks. She stated, "I know what I've done and when I got the OBE it was given to me for music, and for charity." She described the situation as "disappointing" and noted she had "never heard anything from them about it."