Over the weekend, the Beckhams celebrated David’s 50th birthday with a formal party. Splashy, heavily photographed and family-oriented. This is what the Beckhams do best.
We don’t argue about the Beckhams anymore because their documentary showed what Beckham experts have known for years: the family unit is always prioritized. There is no rumour big enough (Rebecca Loos) or outlandish enough (Harper’s teacher) to shake the foundation. And after years of negative headlines about everything from Victoria’s business acumen to David’s hairline, they have earned some smugness.
But the biggest threat to Beckham unity right now is not a tabloid writer, it’s their own dynamic. Since marrying (or maybe even before?) Brooklyn and Nicola’s relationship with Victoria and David has been touchy. There were rumours about Nicola’s wedding dress, with a snarky source saying Nicola knows “real designers” and therefore didn’t need her mother-in-law’s help. The relationship soured but then recovered, even though the story was (to most) very obviously planted by Nicola’s side. I mean, come on. There is no way a random source would be that bitchy and specific. The family then went on to heavily support Nicola’s film, Lola.
On social media, their rifts are always quite obvious because you can see it in the likes (or lack of likes) on Instagram. Sometimes, Brooklyn and Nicola are gushing, other times their distance is pronounced. Same with appearances at Victoria’s shows.
The latest drama seems a little deeper because it’s between brothers. Reportedly, Brooklyn and Nicola are unhappy that Romeo is dating Kim Turnbull and refuse to be around her, as they think she has ulterior motives (apparently, she and Brooklyn were once a thing). Like many sibling fights, it has had a domino effect on family dynamic. And like all gossip, it has a societal reflection.
Familial estrangement is at what is considered epidemic proportions. And with that comes a generational divide, with millennials and zillennials most likely to cut ties with parents. Some will look at this story and think “Brooklyn and Nicola seem like brats” (the ostentatious wealth and Nicola’s disliked family aren’t helping their case). Others will see it as two people having boundaries and declining invites where someone they dislike is present, no matter the event. Then there’s the in-laws angle, which is a whole genre of marriage stories. Reaction to this story is influenced by how we navigate our own family relationships, our age, and for some, the place we are at with a partner’s family.
And maybe there is no big baddie here: maybe Brooklyn and Nicola are being protective of Romeo, and maybe David and Victoria want peace and include everyone in good faith. Maybe they just don’t like being around each other that much.
For David’s 50th, Brooklyn has not liked or acknowledged any of the posts. (He might have posted his dad in his story. I was away this weekend and didn’t check.) But it did make the freeze appear one-sided, like Brooklyn was going out of his way not to engage with his family.
I say “did” because this morning, TMZ posted an interesting update that can certainly shift the narrative. According to the reporting, Brooklyn and Nicola flew to London to have a private visit with David and were rebuffed. Sources told TMZ they were told to attend the party if they wanted to see the family.
IF, and it’s a big IF, this seems like a very stern answer from David and Victoria. Everything we’ve seen about their parenting indicates that this would be an abrupt about-face compared to what they show and tell us about their family unit. Let’s remove the celebrity and the brand: how many parents would not see a child who flew thousands of miles to see them? Who are they, King Charles? It could be true, I don’t know these people, none of us do. But it would be extreme, particularly considering they have seemed open to smoothing things over with Brooklyn and Nicola on other occasions. None of this feels like how OG Beckham has operated.
It could be the way of the newer House of Peltz-Beckham. TMZ has had the most consistent line of communication with these sources who really soften Brooklyn and Nicola’s stance. And I find it very, very hard to believe that David and Victoria would leak to a tabloid about their children. Maybe it’s my admitted bias, but this doesn’t add up.
And alone time with the kids is something that did happen. Even if David didn’t want to have a separate celebration with Brooklyn and Nicola in London, what about the specific boys’ trip that was planned six months out? If they can’t hang at a packed party together, a small remote cabin reunion seems unlikely.
Attached - Romeo in London ahead of his dad's birthday celebrations.
