Brooklyn Peltz Beckham has launched a scathing attack on his parents, David and Victoria Beckham, saying he does not want to “reconcile” them and alleging they have tried “endlessly to ruin” his relationship with his wife.
The eldest son of the former England and Manchester United footballer made the allegations in a series of posts on Instagram after months of speculation over a rift between the 26-year-old and his parents.
Brooklyn married Nicola Anne Peltz Beckham, the daughter of American billionaire Nelson Peltz, on April 9, 2022. Brooklyn said his mother, former Spice Girl fashion designer Victoria, “hijacked” his first dance with Nicola and danced “inappropriately on me” in front of 500 wedding guests, adding he had never felt more “uncomfortable or humiliated” in his life.
He also said his wife has been “disrespected” by the family and that she was not invited to his dad’s 50th birthday party.
Among his various business interests, David Beckham is the co-owner of MLS side Inter Miami, and Brooklyn was conspicuously absent during the celebrations of their first MLS Cup triumph earlier this year.
Brooklyn also addressed his relationship with his brothers, Romeo and Cruz, alleging they were “sent to attack me on social media.”
David and Victoria Beckham have been contacted for comment.
Speaking to CNBC while attending the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday, David Beckham did not address Brooklyn’s statement directly but spoke about the dangers of social media in regard to his children, saying that “children make mistakes.”
“What I found personally, especially with my kids, use it for the right reasons,” he said.
“I’ve been able to use my platform and my following for UNICEF. It’s been the biggest tool to make people aware of what’s going on around the world for children. I’ve tried to do the same with my children. I’ve tried to educate them.
“They make mistakes. Children are allowed to make mistakes, that’s how they learn. That’s what I’ve tried to teach my kids but you have to sometimes let them make those mistakes as well.”
David Beckham declined to answer when questioned by reporters in Davos.’
Brooklyn and Nicola Peltz Beckham (right), pictured in 2023, have grown estranged from the rest of the Beckham family. Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images
Brooklyn Peltz Beckham statement in full:
“I have been silent for years and made every effort to keep these matters private. Unfortunately, my parents and their team have continued to go to the press, leaving me with no choice but to speak for myself and tell the truth about only some of the lies that have been printed.
“I do not want to reconcile with my family. I’m not being controlled, I’m standing up for myself for the first time in my life. For my entire life, my parents have controlled narratives in the press about our family. The performative social media posts, family events and inauthentic relationships have been a fixture of the life I was born into.
“Recently, I have seen with my own eyes the lengths that they’ll go through to place countless lies in the media, mostly at the expense of innocent people, to preserve their own facade. But I believe the truth always comes out.
Brooklyn and Nicola Peltz Beckham were married in 2022. Getty
“My parents have been trying endlessly to ruin my relationship since before my wedding, and it hasn’t stopped. My mum cancelled making Nicola’s dress in the eleventh hour despite how excited she was to wear her design, forcing her to urgently find a new dress. Weeks before our big day, my parents repeatedly pressured and attempted to bribe me into signing away the rights to my name, which would have affected me, my wife, and our future children.
“They were adamant on me signing before my wedding date because then the terms of the deal would be initiated. My holdout affected the payday, and they have never treated me the same since. During the wedding planning, my mum went so far as to call me “evil” because Nicola and I chose to include my Nanny Sandra, and Nicola’s Naunni at our table, because they both didn’t have their husbands. Both of our parents had their own tables equally adjacent to ours.
Brooklyn Beckham has been pictured at Inter Miami games in the past. Getty
“The night before our wedding, members of my family told me that Nicola was ‘not blood’ and ‘not family.’ Since the moment I started standing up for myself with my family, I’ve received endless attacks from my parents, both privately and publicly, that were sent to the press on their orders.
“Even my brothers were sent to attack me on social media, before they ultimately blocked me out of nowhere this last Summer. My mum hijacked my first dance with my wife, which had been planned weeks in advance to a romantic love song.
“In front of our 500 wedding guests, Marc Anthony called me to the stage, where in the schedule was planned to be my romantic dance with my wife but instead my mum was waiting to dance with me instead. She danced very inappropriately on me in front of everyone. I’ve never felt more uncomfortable or humiliated in my entire life. We wanted to renew our vows so we could create new memories of our wedding day that bring us joy and happiness, not anxiety and embarrassment.
“My wife has been consistently disrespected by my family, no matter how hard we’ve tried to come together as one. My mum has repeatedly invited women from my past into our lives in ways that were clearly intended to make us both uncomfortable.
“Despite this, we still travelled to London for my dad’s birthday and were rejected for a week as we waited in our hotel room trying to plan quality time with him. He refused all of our attempts, unless it was at his big birthday party with a hundred guests and cameras at every corner.
“When he finally agreed to see me, it was under the condition that Nicola wasn’t invited. It was a slap in the face. Later, when my family travelled to LA, they refused to see me at all.
– Sir David Beckham: Highs and lows of England icon’s career
– David Beckham on making MLS history: One of my greatest moments
“My family values public promotion and endorsements above all else. Brand Beckham comes first. Family “love” is decided by how much you post on social media, or how quickly you drop everything to show up and pose for a family photo opp, even if it’s at the expense of our professional obligations.
“We’ve gone out of our way for years to show up and support at every fashion show, every party, and every press activity to show ‘our perfect family.’ But the one time my wife asked for my mum’s support to save displaced dogs during the LA fires, my mum refused.
“The narrative that my wife controls me is completely backwards. I have been controlled by my parents for most of my life. I grew up with overwhelming anxiety. For the first time in my life, since stepping away from my family, that anxiety has disappeared.
“I wake up every morning grateful for the life I chose, and have found peace and relief. My wife and I do not want a life shaped by image, press, or manipulation. All we want peace, privacy and happiness for us and our future family.”
Information from PA contributed to this story.
