Lewington retired as club captain at the end of last season, having made an emotional final appearance at Stadium MK against Grimsby Town in April, followed by a brief farewell cameo at the end of an away game at Swindon.
The Freedom of the City honour, though, came out of the blue.
“When I was told I was being given the Freedom of Milton Keynes, I was obviously very surprised – I was a little drunk when they first told me, so it didn’t quite kick in.
“But it means the world. The fact that so few people have been honoured is obviously a huge deal for me, and the fact that after I finished playing, I’ve been recognised in this way is something I’m very proud of,” he said.
“I have a really positive association with Milton Keynes, I’ve loved my time here and it’s nice to know I’ve had that impact on other people’s lives too.”
Lewington was a member of three promotion-winning MK Dons teams, most notably in 2014-15 when they reached the Championship for the first time.
There were also memorable moments in cup competitions, including winning the EFL Trophy at Wembley in 2008, a 2-0 win over Grimsby, and beating Manchester United 4-0 in the League Cup in 2014.
“Football motivates me. It’s something that’s in me. My dad’s been in football for 50-plus years, and my brother [is in football] as well, and it’s just something that we do.
“I wake up in the morning, and normally football is one of my first thoughts, and it’s something that just makes me happy. It’s a life that I know and that I like. It’s just something that comes naturally to me.”