The Beckham family feud erupted after Brooklyn Beckham, the eldest son of David and Victoria Beckham, accused his, as he called it, "controlling" parents of trying to destroy his marriage and said he did not want reconciliation with them, publicly exposing the deep family rift for the first time.
Brooklyn (26) said that his parents spread "countless lies" in the media to preserve the illusion of a perfect family, while, according to him, the family business "Brand Beckham" always took precedence over everything.
David Beckham, who attended a meeting of the world's elite in Davos on Tuesday, declined to comment on Brooklyn's accusations to reporters, Reuters reports.
Allegations of tension between Brooklyn and his parents began shortly after he married actress Nicola Peltz, the daughter of American billionaire and businessman Nelson Peltz, in 2022.
Brooklyn said that for years he had made "every possible effort" to keep the issue private, but that he now had no choice but to "tell the truth, at least about some of the lies that have been published."
He stated that his parents "endlessly tried to destroy his relationship even before the wedding" and pressured him to give up his right to his own name, which he refused.
"I have never felt more uncomfortable or humiliated"
In one of the most serious accusations, Brooklyn said that his mother, former Spice Girls member and fashion designer Victoria, took over his first dance with his wife at their wedding.
"She danced extremely inappropriately with me in front of everyone," Brooklyn wrote on Instagram.
"I have never felt more uncomfortable or humiliated in my life."
Brooklyn's announcement dropped a bombshell on "Brand Beckham," a multi-million dollar family business whose roots go back to 1992, when his father made his debut for Manchester United as a 17-year-old.
David Beckham further solidified his status in the British establishment last year when, at the age of 50, he was knighted for his contributions to sport and humanitarian activities.
During his career, he won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and the Champions League with Manchester United, and also played for Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, Milan and Paris Saint-Germain. He was also captain of England, for whom he made 115 appearances.
His marriage to Victoria Adams, known as "Posh Spice" of the Spice Girls, in 1999, brought together football and pop music into the "Posh and Becks" phenomenon, a celebrated combination whose tabloid appeal was matched only by the British royal family.
Brooklyn doesn't want to "bury the hatchet"
The couple, who have four children - Brooklyn's younger brothers Romeo and Cruz and sister Harper Seven - have expanded their brand into sports, fashion, advertising and media.
Speaking to CNBC in Davos, as part of a general discussion on the risks of social media, David Beckham said he was trying to teach his children how to deal with the online world.
"Children are allowed to make mistakes, because that's how they learn. That's what I try to teach my children," he said. "But sometimes you have to let them make those mistakes."
The rift between Brooklyn and his family is reminiscent of Britain's Prince Harry's split with the royal family, with similar allegations of dysfunctional relationships and anonymous leaks to the media, according to Reuters.
Harry said last year that he would "love reconciliation" with his family. Brooklyn, however, has made it clear that he does not want to "repair relations."
"I don't want reconciliation with my family. I'm not under control, but for the first time in my life, I'm standing up for myself," Brooklyn wrote on Instagram.
He added that the anxiety he had suffered from his entire life had disappeared since he distanced himself from his family.
"I wake up every morning grateful for the life I have chosen and I have found peace and relief," he said.
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