In the glamorous world of British royalty and celebrity, tensions often simmer beneath the surface. Meghan Markle, once the ambitious actress from “Suits,” now Duchess of Sussex, aspired to reach the heights of fashion and influence epitomized by Victoria Beckham. However, her ambitions seemingly led to a dramatic fallout with the Beckham family, as detailed in Tom Bower’s explosive new book, “The House of Beckham.”
As Markle became engaged to Prince Harry, she allegedly reached out to the former Spice Girl turned fashion mogul, Victoria Beckham, seeking free clothes and handbags. This request, however, was swiftly vetoed by Buckingham Palace, which deemed it inappropriate and against royal protocol.
Bower’s book reveals that Markle and the Beckhams were once quite close. Meghan even stayed at their Beverly Hills home during a trip to Los Angeles. Victoria’s staff provided her with beauty advice and recommended top facials and hairdressers in London as she prepared to marry into the British royal family.
But things took a turn when Markle believed that Victoria had leaked a story to the press. The Sun reported that Victoria had given Meghan makeup advice, which allegedly triggered Markle’s sensitivity to media intrusion into her life. According to Bower, this incident marked the beginning of the end of their friendship.
“Harry was ordered to complain to David Beckham,” Bower writes, leading the former soccer star to confront his wife about the leak. Victoria reportedly denied any involvement and blamed a beautician for the gossip. Despite this, the damage was done, and the trust between the two couples began to erode.
The tension was further fueled by what Bower describes as Markle’s envy of the Beckhams’ wealth and luxurious lifestyle, including their access to private jets and yachts. This envy reached a peak when Markle allegedly snubbed the Beckhams at her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018. Although the Beckhams attended the royal wedding, Victoria felt insulted for not being invited to a post-wedding dinner with high-profile guests like George Clooney.
Photographs from the wedding ceremony at St. George’s Chapel show Victoria looking less than pleased, which Bower attributes to the perceived slight.
Despite the growing rift, Markle publicly supported Victoria Beckham’s fashion line, wearing a coat from her collection at Christmas 2018 and another piece at the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey the following year. Yet, these gestures were not enough to mend the strained relationship.
The ongoing tension was evident in 2022 when Harry and Meghan were reportedly not invited to the extravagant wedding of David and Victoria’s son, Brooklyn Beckham, to Nicola Peltz in Palm Beach. This notable exclusion highlighted the lingering discord between the two high-profile couples.
Bower’s book paints a vivid picture of how Markle’s aspirations and sensitivities contributed to a high-profile falling out, illustrating the complex dynamics within the circles of royalty and celebrity. As the Sussexes continue to navigate their post-royal life, their fractured relationship with the Beckhams remains a telling chapter in their ongoing saga.
