Red Flags In Brooklyn Beckham And Nicola Peltz's Marriage That Scream Toxic

Brooklyn Beckham was only 23 when he married 27-year-old Nicola Peltz in a star-studded wedding ceremony in April 2022, after three whirlwind years as a couple. Even so, their age difference seems like a tiny blip when stacked against the other, more concerning red flags in their marriage that pretty much scream toxic. For starters, there was the drama between Peltz and her mother-in-law, Victoria Beckham, that reportedly caused tension within the family and led to Brooklyn distancing himself from his own parents — a decision that didn't sit well with many. "You didn't get where you are today without your parents. Shame that you're ungrateful now and biting the same hands that fed you," an Instagram user told Brooklyn. Another said, "It's funny. Because both of these nepo babies would be nothing without their parents."

The rift has also given rise to speculation that Peltz is controlling Brooklyn and has come between him and his parents. "Nicola is outspoken, and that is what has caused tension with his parents," a source told Us Weekly. "She will defend Brooklyn a lot and is defensive." Proving his loyalty lies with Peltz, Brooklyn is said to consistently side with his wife, further widening the gap between him and his family.

Reportedly, tensions began during wedding planning when Peltz kept Victoria out of the loop when making big decisions for the ceremony. "Things never really got smoothed over, and ... the tension is still present," the insider stressed. But the drama with the Beckhams is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the red flags in Peltz and Brooklyn's marriage. 

Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz are head over heels in love — you only need to look at their Instagram profiles to see how smitten they are with one another. But, given the situation between their families, one can't help but wonder how much of these romantic gestures are real and how much is for show. "When a relationship feels under attack — whether from public speculation or private tensions — it's common for couples to overcompensate with displays of affection," John Eastham, a psychologist and analyst at British Lie Detector Test, explained to Hello! magazine. "You're not just performing love for your partner, you're performing it for everyone watching."

Even social media users have taken note of their constant PDA and begun scrutinizing their every posts. Under a July 2025 post showing the couple posing on a mega yacht, for example, one user wrote, "Posts are daily now, who you trying to convince, us, yourselves, or your parents?" Another commented on a carousel featuring photos from their vow renewal ceremony (which we will discuss later) pointed out, "When you constantly tell the world you're in love, there's something wrong." To be fair, though, the young Beckham has always been madly in love with Peltz even before things got complicated with his family — from getting an enormous tattoo of her face to taking her last name after they said "I do." "I love [Nicola] more than anything," the photographer and chef gushed in an interview with E! News. "I always try to make her happy. That's all I do."

According to John Eastham, another tell-tale sign of a toxic relationship is developing that "us against the world" mentality. "When couples feel their loyalty is being tested, they often respond by creating an emotional 'us vs them' bubble. That's not necessarily unhealthy, but it can become isolating," the behavior analyst told Hello! magazine when discussing the couple. While it's true that loyalty is important in a committed relationship, making your partner the center of everything may result in an unhealthy dynamic, where a part of yourself gets lost and outside relationships tend to suffer. This seems to ring true for Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz, who might be experiencing a phenomenon called "reactive independence," as claimed by a relationship expert.

"Psychologically, couples may bond tightly when they perceive external criticism or control, [which is] called 'reactive independence,'" Angela Vossen, a relationship coach and founder of Sextasy, told the Mirror. "This is particularly true for younger couples like Brooklyn and Nicola, who are navigating their identity as a unit in the public eye." In short, creating a relationship bubble allows them to lean and focus on each other when constantly being challenged by the world around them. But, while it can make their relationship feel stronger, Vossen cautions that it could easily alienate them from family and friends and create unnecessary tension with loved ones. At the end of the day, it's all about maintaining closeness without letting their love isolate them from others.

Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz celebrated their third wedding anniversary with a vow renewal ceremony in August 2025, surrounded by their family and closest friends. Of the 200 or so guests, Brooklyn's parents, Victoria and David Beckham, and siblings, Romeo, Cruz, and Harper Beckham, were notably absent, suggesting that the family discord is far from over. "It was beautiful," Brooklyn gushed in a People interview days later. "We just wanted a really beautiful experience — a really cute memory." He continued: "To be honest, I could renew my vows every single day with her. ... It was really, really cute. It was really fun."

Of course, fans of the Beckhams didn't think so. Many thought it was a slight against Victoria and David, and accused Peltz of orchestrating the whole thing to spite her in-laws. After all, she and Brooklyn haven't been married for very long, prompting skeptics to question why they felt a second wedding necessary. "Who renews vows after 3 years?" one user asked under a carousel of pics from the celebration. "This is just a spoilt young woman! Purpose of this is a dig at the Beckham family!" another added. 

Over on Reddit, many couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. "Am I the only one who feels like they have a toxic relationship?" one user asked. Another replied in agreement, predicting that the marriage is doomed. "They have us against the world vibes. Which usually doesn't end well."