Inside The Beckhams' Relationship With The Royal Family
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Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, David Beckham made headlines for paying tribute to Her Majesty. Twitter exploded when Beckham told ITV reporter Chris Ship that he waited almost 13 hours in line to honor the late monarch, with whom he shared a special relationship. In 2014, the former football star told The Times, "The fact that I've been able to go to Buckingham Palace and I've been able to meet the Queen, that's the best thing I've ever done." Becks' relationship with Queen Elizabeth dates back to at least 2003, when the former Manchester United player received an OBE (Order of the British Empire) from the ruler, per BBC News.
Beckham might have played the celebrity card to skip the line, but he felt that queuing up with all of England was the right thing to do. When asked why he chose to wait so long, Beckham told The Guardian that he'd been raised on royalist values and that he respects the royal family. "We all want to be here together, we all want to experience something where we celebrate the amazing life of our queen," Beckham explained, according to CNN. "You know something like this today is meant to be shared together."
From singing "God Save The Queen" on the pitch to greeting Her Majesty at a celebration of The Queen's Young Leaders, Beckham has plenty of fond memories of Elizabeth. However, his friendship with the monarch is only the beginning of his relationship with the royal family.
The Beckhams get along with the princes and their wives
According to The Mirror, David and Victoria Beckham's friendship with the royals spans decades. In 2011, the pair attended Prince William's wedding to Kate Middleton, as well as Prince Harry's 2018 nuptials to Meghan Markle. The Beckhams may have drifted apart from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex after the pair stepped down as working members of the royal family, but their relationship with Prince William and Kate remains as strong as ever. For example, David and William are often seen together at football events, and they've previously collaborated on mental health campaigns, per Harper's Bazaar. "We've done a lot of functions together. It's a very normal relationship. With Harry, as well. They're very easy to get along with," David told Esquire in 2013 (via Marie Claire).
Like her husband, Victoria received an OBE from Prince William, though hers was for "services to the fashion industry," according to BBC News. She has also bonded with Meghan over a mutual love of fashion. "They get along well and have been in touch recently," a source told Vanity Fair in 2018. "Meghan really likes Victoria's style and was keen to pick her brains about pulling together a working wardrobe. She loves Victoria's elegant but smart dresses, so expect her to wear one very soon." Yet despite the budding friendship between both women, Victoria's feelings toward Meghan seem to have soured in more recent years.
Victoria Beckham and Meghan Markle had a falling out
Victoria Beckham went from championing Meghan Markle, to clamming up about the Duchess of Sussex. Furthermore, Prince William and Kate Middleton were invited to Brooklyn Beckham's wedding to Nicola Peltz, while Prince Harry and Meghan Markle didn't make the guest list ... so, what went wrong? In his 2022 book, "Revenge: Meghan, Harry, and the War Between The Windsors," royal biographer Tom Bower asserted that the Sussexes were concerned their friends were leaking stories about them to the press (via Us Weekly). When Meghan pointed the finger at Victoria, the Beckhams were dragged into the mess. "Harry called David Beckham to repeat the accusation. Outraged, Beckham's truthful denials damaged their relationship," Bower wrote.
Bower wasn't the only source to report on the story. Per The U.S. Sun, "When Meghan moved to London, Victoria shared a whole bunch of beauty tips, but not long after, some of these emerged in print and Meghan was furious." The accusations left David feeling "mortified." Though the leak was later attributed to a beauty salon, the damage between the couples was already done.
Perhaps, Queen Elizabeth II's death will strengthen ties between the royal family and the Beckhams. Victoria posted a tribute to the monarch on Instagram and David's words hint at the importance of unity. "We can all see, with the love that has been shown, how special [the queen] is and how special she was and the legacy that she leaves behind," he told BBC News.