Billy Boston becomes first ever rugby league knight

Rugby league legend Billy Boston has received a knighthood from King Charles at Buckingham Palace, making him the sport’s first knight in its 130-year history.

Sir Billy, 90, was awarded his knighthood early – before the King’s birthday honours list was officially announced – because of concerns over his health.

The honour follows growing frustration over the lack of rugby league knighthoods or damehoods, with a group of cross-party MPs suggesting it was linked to snobbery.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said it was a “historic wrong” that no rugby league player had received a knighthood until now.

“It is a historic wrong that a sport which is the backbone of so many communities has waited so long to receive this honour,” Sir Keir said.

“Boston is a legend of the game who overcame prejudice to represent Great Britain and opened the door to a more diverse game.”

Sir Billy’s wife, Lady Joan, said his family “are so proud of him” and “excited that everything he’s done for the sport and for our community is being recognised”.

The Cardiff-born player 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.

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

Wigan Warriors’ chairman Chris Brookes said: “I am absolutely delighted and so happy that Billy – and rugby league – has finally received the ultimate recognition his stellar career deserves.”

Sir Billy is one of the sport’s legends, after winning three Challenge Cups and scoring 24 tries in 31 appearances for Great Britain. He has also been praised for helping to open doors for black players in the sport.

Brookes said Sir Billy had scored 478 tries in 487 matches for the team – but had remained the “most modest of men” even though he was the “most revered player of our wonderful sport”.

The letter announcing the knighthood was given to Sir Billy by Labour MP Josh Simons, who said the rugby league was finally “getting the recognition it deserves”.

The sport’s governing body, the Rugby Football League, had told the BBC last month that its players had been “poorly treated” by the honours system.

The Speaker of the House of Commons , Sir Lindsay Hoyle, joined protests over the lack of knighthoods for rugby players, saying it “cannot be right” when other sports, including rugby union, have had such honours “quite regularly”.

A cross-party group of MPs had claimed the lack of knighthoods a “scandal” linked to snobbery and class prejudice.

David Baines, chair of the all-party Parliamentary rugby league group, had said he suspected it was because “they come from working class backgrounds, didn’t go to the right schools, and didn’t mix in the right social circles”.

A BBC analysis earlier this year revealed that a disproportionately low number of top honours, such as knighthoods and damehoods, were going to people from the north of England and working class backgrounds – which overlaps with the rugby league heartlands.

It emerged last week that ex-footballer David Beckham is also set to receive a knighthood.