The most recent “messed” move in the Beckhams’ feud has been decoded by a PR to the stars, with comments from Brooklyn’s friend said to contain a dark “irony” as the fractious family prepares for Christmas.
For three decades, the Beckham name has signalled a seemingly unbreakable family unit. From matching outfits to front-row support at every fashion show, David and Victoria have put on a show of unity with their four children.
But as the festive season approaches, the “polish” on the billion-pound brand is beginning to lose its shine. As Brooklyn Beckham, 26, and Nicola Peltz-Beckham, 30, carve out their own “next generation” empire, the narrative is shifting from a united family story to two rival lanes.
The latest drama has seen Brooklyn block his family on social media after mum Victoria liked a post about him roasting a chicken. The 26-year-old unfollowed his famous parents, David and Victoria, on Instagram yesterday, with his younger brother Cruz confirming the drastic move. It was claimed that they unfollowed Brooklyn and wife Nicola Peltz in response to being unfollowed. Addressing the rumours, Cruz wrote on Instagram: “NOT TRUE. My mum and dad would never unfollow their son. Let’s get the facts right. They woke up blocked… as did I.”
READ MORE: Brooklyn Beckham’s wife Nicola breaks silence with cosy ‘family’ post as relations implodeREAD MORE: ‘I met David Beckham as a child – he showed his true colours with incredible gesture’
According to reports, Brooklyn shared his poultry cooking advice, sparking the most recent row. “So it has been beer-brining for the last 24 hours and I’m just finishing putting some rosemary butter around”, he said, presenting the meat to the camera. In the video to promote the clothing line, he continued, “And that is my simple way of making a chicken breast, some potatoes, and vegetables in my Express.”
Many urged Brooklyn to reconcile with his parents after Victoria was discovered by fans. “Victoria liked this post. Yes 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 : 🙂 : : ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; One person said, “Family is everything.” Another said: “Go cook with your Dad. Looks delicious. A third person said, “Your parents have just one life, and it’s very precious.” A fourth said: “U sound and look your dad. Make a contact.
According to The Sun, Brooklyn became annoyed at his mum’s public display of affection and blocked the whole family – including dad David, brothers Romeo and Cruz and little sister Harper. “It appears that Brooklyn has blocked them to show them that’s it, this is final. It is very clear that this is a sign of his complete estrangement from his family,” a source said.
Soon after, Brooklyn’s camp hit back – with a ‘friend’ of the couple claiming they are sick of being ‘gaslit’. According to the Daily Mail, Victoria and David have been told not to contact their son, who apparently finds their social media posts ‘anxiety inducing’. “It would be really in the holiday spirit if the Beckhams could just back off and leave them alone for now,” the pal sniped.
“Nicola and Brooklyn haven’t been commenting. They merely desire tranquility. The Beckhams should stop contacting, commenting, and briefing because it is ineffective, according to the source.
The unnamed friend added: “The Instagram stuff is just a media play – it feels like more manipulation, more gaslighting. Brooklyn and Nicola are only made to feel more distant by it. The speculation makes them angry. They are trying to take the high road which is not to react at all and to just live their lives”.
But what does this latest twist in the dramatic saga mean? Especially when it is so close to Christmas? PR expert Mayah Riaz warns that the latest move by the Beckham-Peltz duo – who are aiming to strike out and create their own brand – is intentionally designed to take control of the narrative and silence their relatives.
Pointing out the ‘irony’ of their friend’s comments given Brooklyn and Nicola’s aversion to ‘briefings’ from the other side, she tells The Mirror: “This absolutely reads like a briefing. The irony here is hard to ignore. When a source uses emotionally loaded language like ‘manipulation’ and ‘gaslighting’, that is not accidental or neutral.”
That is narrative shaping, according to the PR to the stars. It positions Brooklyn and Nicola not just as hurt, but as victims of something darker and more deliberate. That PR decision is very specific. Victimhood with credibility is the hidden spin. By framing themselves as being gaslit, they are attempting to flip the power dynamic. We are justified in our silence, not “we are silent,” but rather that the message is. Why they aren’t engaging directly are the objectives of this kind of briefing. It gives them moral high ground without them having to speak themselves.
Mayah continued, “The choice of the word “gaslighting” is particularly telling,” further analysing the language used. It is a very online, very therapy language term that resonates with younger audiences. Gen Z and millennial readers who are familiar with narratives with boundaries, toxicity, and emotional control are the target audience. That suggests that the focus should be on integrating their personal brand with contemporary values, not just about family.
“The Beckhams are globally powerful, wealthy, media savvy and historically very controlled in how they brief. The narrative shifts from familial disagreement to emotional harm when Brooklyn and Nicola are cast as being psychologically worn down. They are now “people protecting their mental health,” according to PR, moving from “difficult children.”
But what does it mean for David and Victoria”? This is one of those instances where the polish slightly deteriorates when it comes to Brand Beckham, according to Mayah. The Beckhams have always traded in their aspirations for their relatability. A very public family wobble reminds people they are still human. “
She warns that the reaction poses a risk. From a brand perspective, it only becomes damaging if it turns into silence, mixed messaging or obvious sides being taken publicly. It currently feels sloppy rather than malicious.
The PR guru thinks the couple’s apparent briefing is a sign of damage control and is considering how to build their own empire. Mayah said:” I don’t think this is about escalating the feud. It involves controlling future interpretation by drawing a line in the sand. This framing will already be present if more stories emerge. Anything the Beckhams say or do next can be filtered through this lens of ‘ pressure ‘ or ‘ manipulation’. That is effective positioning.
The senior Beckhams have a new, if uncomfortable, reality as a result. One of the most talked-about aspects of the rift is the” Gen Z “nature of the disagreement – specifically the reported” blocking “of parents on social media.
Some people may perceive it as a PR stunt, but Mayah believes it has roots in unfiltered emotion. I would say emotional first, strategic second, “she notes”. Parents’ branding is rarely a logical choice. It uses a very cutting-edge, Gen Z method to create boundaries.
However, in the world of the ultra-famous, personal feelings quickly become public assets. “The timing may then become strategic once the story is already in motion, because when you are part of a famous family, even emotions have PR consequences.”
Christmas is often the time celebrity families portray the image of the “perfect” family – something that the Beckhams have been known for. It’s unclear what led to Brooklyn blocking his family on social media, but Cruz made his feelings clear in an Instagram story defending his parents.
Mayah says, “Why now, just before Christmas, is what makes this cut through?” The ultimate family brand holiday is Christmas. Stockings, olive branches, nostalgia. Any hint of fracture “feels amplified.”
She calls the current situation “combustible” because, in her opinion, it fundamentally conflicts with everything the Beckhams have spent the past thirty years representing. It turns a private disagreement into a symbolic one. “
According to Mayah, the upcoming weeks will determine if the” next generation “takeover is a healthy expansion or a permanent division”. What should you focus on watching for the most part, “Mayah concludes.”
Brand Beckham is preserved and arguably strengthened if there is quiet reconciliation or a soft, united moment. If the silence hardens, then the narrative shifts from family tension to family division. When it turns into a longer-term issue, that is.
READ MORE: Brooklyn Beckham makes request to dad David in bid to ‘find peace at Christmas’
