Brooklyn Beckham is done with his family. David just gave a calculated response.

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Brooklyn Beckham is done playing the nice guy.

On January 20, 2026, he addressed his rumoured family feud in a heated statement, saying he had "no choice" but to speak up.

In a series of lengthy Instagram stories on Tuesday, Brooklyn said he needed to set the record straight about his parents, David and Victoria Beckham, and their team and "tell the truth about only some of the lies that have been printed" about himself and his wife, Nicola Peltz-Beckham.

"I do not want to reconcile with my family," the 26-year-old wrote. "I'm not being controlled, I'm standing up for myself for the first time in my life. For my entire life, my parents have controlled narratives in the press about our family."

Listen to Clare Stephens discuss the Beckham family feud on The Quicky. Post continues below.

Brooklyn referred to "performative social media posts, family events and inauthentic relationships."

Camp Beckham was silent after the posts went live, but not even a day later, David made a handful of pointed comments during an appearance at the World Economic Forum's (WEF) 56th Annual Meeting in Switzerland.

While talking about social media, he said, "I have always spoken about social media and the power of social media. For the good and for the bad.

"I've tried to do the same with my children, to educate them," he said. "They make mistakes, but children are allowed to make mistakes. That is how they learn.

"You sometimes have to let them make those mistakes as well," he added.

It wasn't a direct response to Brooklyn's social media exposé, but the timing of his comments can't be ignored.

It comes as David's former assistant, Rebecca Loos — who previously alleged she had an affair with Beckham while he was married — publicly came out in support of Brooklyn.

"So happy he is standing up for himself and speaking publicly finally!!!! I have felt so bad for his poor wife, knowing too well what they can be like!" she said.

So when did this all begin? It started with a dress. Or at least, that's where the rumours began.

Ever since Brooklyn married Nicola Peltz in April 2022, whispers of a feud between the couple and the rest of the Beckham clan have followed them like a shadow.

From a now-infamous wedding dress switch-up, to stolen dances, social media snubs, and very public absences from family events, fans have been piecing together what they believe to be a family fallout playing out in slow motion.

Here's a timeline of everything that's happened so far.

January 2026: Brooklyn shares explosive social media posts.

In late January, Brooklyn Beckham torched what was left of his family ties, and unravelled the 'Beckham fairytale family' story so often pictured in the news.

"Recently, I have seen with my own eyes the lengths that they'll go through to place countless lies in the media, mostly at the expense of innocent people, to preserve their own facade," he said in a lengthy Instagram statement.

Part of Brooklyn's statement. Image: Instagram/brooklynpeltzbeckham.

Brooklyn said "the truth always comes out", before levelling several allegations at his parents.

He claimed his parents have been trying to "endlessly ruin" his relationship, since before he and Nicola walked down the aisle in April 2022 — and "it hasn't stopped".

"My mum cancelled making Nicola's dress in the eleventh hour despite how excited she was to wear her design, forcing her to urgently find a new dress," he alleged.

David and Victoria allegedly "pressured and attempted to bribe" their son into signing away the rights to his name before the wedding.

"My holdout affected the payday, and they have never treated me the same since," he claimed.

Other accusations include Victoria allegedly calling Brooklyn "evil" after he and Nicola included both of their grandmothers at their wedding table, while their parents were seated at their own tables, his parents allegedly telling Nicola she was "not family" the night before the ceremony, and Victoria allegedly "hijacking" her son's first dance with his wife.

"I've never felt more uncomfortable or humiliated in my entire life," he said.

He levelled some serious claims against his parents. Image: Instagram/brooklynpeltzbeckham.

Brooklyn went on to claim his wife has been disrespected by his family, who have rejected him since he started standing up for himself.

"My family values public promotion and endorsement above all else. Brand Beckham comes first," he claimed.

The 26-year-old explained, "Family 'love' is decided by how much you post on social media, or how quickly you drop everything to show up and pose for a family photo opp, even if it's at the expense of our professional obligations."

He hit back at claims Nicola was "controlling" him, labelling the narrative "completely backwards".

"I have been controlled by my parents for most of my life," Brooklyn alleged.

"I grew up with overwhelming anxiety. For the first time in my life, since stepping away from my family, that anxiety has disappeared. I wake up every morning grateful for the life I chose, and have found peace and relief."

He concluded, "My wife and I do not want a life shaped by image, press, or manipulation. All we want is peace, privacy and happiness for us and our future family."

Brooklyn and Nicola are rejecting the Beckham 'Brand'. Image: Instagram.

January 2026: The Sun reports that Brooklyn issued a legal notice to his parents.

According to The Sun UK, Brooklyn sent David and Victoria a "desist" letter, warning them to only contact him via his lawyers, with specific instructions not to "tag" him on social media.

The tabloid reports that a breach of this legal letter was the reason Brooklyn blocked his parents before Christmas. The catalyst? Victoria had "liked" a roast chicken tutorial he posted.

In another big move, Nicola also scrubbed her Instagram of all traces of her in-laws, including a heartfelt 2024 birthday tribute to Victoria Beckham, in which Nicola had previously called her a "beautiful mother-in-law."

Nicola has also stopped following David, Victoria, and Brooklyn's siblings on Instagram.

In the original report about Brooklyn's legal letter, a source warned that people aren't hearing the real story about what's gone down.

"People do not know the full facts of this heartbreaking tale, and think Brooklyn was just being truculent when he blocked his parents," a source told The Sun.

"The reality is that he issued them with a letter at the end of last summer, asking for any correspondence to go via lawyers only, and wanted to try and make amends privately not publicly.

"He felt his parents continued to ignore his wishes and kept mentioning him online instead of reaching out privately."

David and Victoria are reportedly represented by high-power lawyers, Harbottle & Lewis, who also work for King Charles.

The Sun alleges that the son's initial legal letter was the last formal contact between the family members. "To be clear, this was a request via lawyers, not a direct legal threat," a source clarified. "But, naturally, it is an unprecedented move which shows just how bad things have become."

December 2025: The Beckham-Peltz holiday period was divided.

Brooklyn Beckham spent Christmas separated from his family.

The Beckhams celebrated the holidays in the UK, as Victoria shared cute videos from their Cotswolds home. One featured David getting a pedicure while Cruz played the guitar to the Spice Girls' hit 'Viva Forever'.

Victoria also posted a photo of the family's Christmas stockings, notably including one for Brooklyn as a small gesture.

However, Brooklyn remained with his wife's family in Palm Beach, Florida, for the holiday period. In a move seen by fans as pointed, Brooklyn shared a photo holding wife Nicola Peltz's hand, calling her "my everything."

He also posted a TikTok for his sauce brand Cloud23 featuring the Lady Gaga song 'Telephone', specifically including the lyric: "Sorry, I cannot hear you, I'm kinda busy."

On December 26, Nicola shared a photo dump of the couple in matching red pyjamas posing with her parents, Nelson and Claudia Peltz. The caption read, "We wish everyone a merry Christmas... filled with so much love, peace and happiness," but made no mention of her in-laws, the Beckhams.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 𝓃𝒾𝒸𝑜𝓁𝒶 (@nicolaannepeltzbeckham)

Approaching New Year's Eve back in the UK, Romeo was seen in several photos shared by Victoria, posing with David and enjoying festive drinks. He also shared a 2025 wrap-up on Instagram that conspicuously left out any photos of his brother, Brooklyn. Ouch. 

David posted a 20-slide recap of the year, celebrating his 50th birthday and his knighthood, but Brooklyn was missing from his year's highlights. Again, ouch.

This brings us to Brooklyn's parents on NYE, sending an olive branch to their son as the new year approached. After his awkward Instagram dump, David posted an Instagram Story of a black-and-white throwback photo of himself and a young Brooklyn with the caption: "I love you all so much."

Victoria Beckham shared a pic of David and Brooklyn to her IG stories…

Pick up the phone Brooklyn!🙄 pic.twitter.com/Hx89Hrtew0

— Hanz (@fashionistaera) January 1, 2026

He followed it with a second photo of Victoria with all four children – Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz, and Harper – from years ago, captioned: "You are my life. I love you all, Love Daddy x. On to 2026."

Victoria then shared David's olive branch to Brooklyn to her own Stories, perhaps as a final plea for peace in 2026.

Will Brooklyn respond in some coded way? Based on his erratic internet history, I wouldn't be surprised.

Either way, this shift in Christmas plans is a stark departure for the families. In 2023 and 2024, the entire Beckham family — including Brooklyn and Nicola — spent Christmas together in Miami.

Perhaps in 2025, it was simply the Peltz's turn to host Christmas? Celebrities, they're just like us!

December 2025: David, Victoria and Brooklyn Beckham appear to unfollow each other on Instagram.

In a move that sent the internet into a tailspin, Brooklyn and his wife, Nicola, vanished from David and Victoria's social media feeds, and the feeling was mutual.

After years of a rumoured feud, eagle-eyed fans noticed that Brooklyn and his parents were no longer following each other on Instagram. This apparent rift extends to Brooklyn's wife, Nicola, who the couple no longer follows. She has likewise removed them from her following list.

But then, Cruz Beckham entered the chat.

As speculation online started to build, David and Victoria's other son, Cruz, addressed the situation on his Instagram Stories, shutting down any negative rumours about his parents and claiming it was Brooklyn who initiated the block.

Image: Instagram.

According to Cruz, the family simply "woke up blocked" — a digital cold shoulder that reportedly extended to him and brother Romeo, too.

"NOT TRUE. My mum and dad would never unfollow their son… Let's get the facts right. They woke up blocked… as did I."

Whether it's a holiday-season blowout or a massive technical bug, one thing is for sure: the Beckham family group chat is on very thin ice.

October 2025: Brooklyn and Nicola are nowhere to be seen in the Victoria Beckham documentary, or his dad's knighting ceremony.

The series, which chronicles Victoria's rise from Spice Girl to fashion mogul, features intimate family moments and candid interviews with her husband, David Beckham, and moments with her other three children — Romeo, Cruz, and Harper.

But Brooklyn? He's conspicuously missing from his mother's story.

Image: Getty.

Across three entire episodes, there is only one fleeting shot of Brooklyn and Nicola attending Victoria's Paris Fashion Week show. Other than that… nothing.

The absence becomes even more glaring when you see how prominently the other Beckham children feature throughout the series. Harper gets sweet mother-daughter moments, including trying on her dress for the fashion show.

Romeo appears to be visiting his mum at work. Cruz pops up in various family scenes.

But the eldest son is nowhere to be seen, seemingly confirming what we were all suspecting for the past few years: the Beckham family feud is alive and well.

Brooklyn was also absent from his dad's long-awaited knighting ceremony in November.

September 2025: Brooklyn breaks his silence on the feud.

In September, Brooklyn finally broke his silence on the ongoing speculation surrounding his relationship with his famous family. When asked about the drama that has dominated headlines recently, his response was very telling.

"There's always going to be people saying negative things, but I have a very supportive wife," he told the Daily Mail.

"Me and her, we just do our thing, we just keep our heads down and work. And we're happy."

Even when asked directly, there was no mention of his parents, David and Victoria Beckham — an omission that seems very pointed considering the already persistent feud rumours circulating.

September 2025: The Beckham family holiday without Brooklyn.

Victoria Beckham shared a carousel of photos on her Instagram showing her and David's Italian summer getaway with the family. Brooklyn was nowhere to be seen.

"Perfect end to summer," she wrote in the caption.

The images showed David, Victoria, and their three younger children, Romeo, Cruz, and Harper enjoying their holiday together — spending time on a yacht and indulging in delicious Italian meals.

And Brooklyn's absence did not go unnoticed.

"Where is Brooklyn?" one user commented.

"It's sad not to see Brooklyn in the photos - there's a missing piece in these photos," another wrote.

August 2025: David Beckham likes one of Brooklyn's Instagram posts.

David seemingly made the first move towards reconciliation with his eldest son Brooklyn, using the most modern method possible — a simple Instagram like.

The former Manchester United icon liked one of Brooklyn's Instagram posts in August, which had fans speculating the Beckhams could be headed toward a resolution.

The video — a cheerful cooking tutorial — showed Brooklyn demonstrating how to prepare spaghetti carbonara while cuddling his two small white dogs.

David's simple gesture followed the drama around Brooklyn's vow-renewal ceremony with Peltz — an intimate affair that excluded both David and Victoria from the guest list.

August 2025: The Beckhams are reportedly not present at Brooklyn and Nicola's vow-renewal ceremony.

Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz marked three years of marriage by renewing their wedding vows. However, the celebration was missing some very important guests: David and Victoria Beckham, along with Brooklyn's three younger siblings, were all reportedly absent from the special occasion. 

Despite the family drama swirling around the event, Brooklyn couldn't contain his enthusiasm when discussing the ceremony in an interview. 

"It was beautiful," he told People. "We just wanted a really beautiful experience — a really cute memory." 

"To be honest, I could renew my vows every single day with her. I think the most important thing that someone can do is find that person that they're going to spend the rest of their life with. It definitely shapes you as a person."

June 2025: Cruz Beckham seemingly mocks his brother Brooklyn online.

20-year-old Cruz shared a video on TikTok of him performing his song 'For Ya Love' with his band, but it was a response to someone's comment that had heads turning (and tongues wagging).

"Are you going to stick with this job or going to become a race car driver next or something?" a user asked.

The comment could be taken as a jab at Brooklyn, who is known for attempting a variety of career pursuits, from being a chef to a photographer.

Without missing a beat, Cruz wrote back: "Wrong brother mate."

Ouch!

The comment, which has received over 11,000 likes (and counting), has only served to stoke the rumours of a falling out between Brooklyn and the rest of his family.

June 2025: Nicola and Brooklyn share new details about their wedding day.

Earlier in June, Nicola and Brooklyn shared new comments about their much-speculated-about wedding day.

Speaking with GLAMOUR, the couple were asked to share their best advice for people planning a wedding.

Nicola responded first, telling the publication: "Take a moment during [your wedding] day just for the two of you. Step away, breathe, be together. Those were my favourite moments."

She added: "Weddings can be intense, especially when you're busy making sure everyone else is having fun. That little break reminded us what it's really about: us."

Brooklyn was quick to agree, saying: "After the ceremony, find time to disappear for a second. We took a quick drive, just the two of us. It was perfect. Also: love each other, be honest, and always protect one another."

While the answers seemed innocuous enough, many fans pointed out the subtext and timing of the comments, which came just days after PEOPLE reported that Victoria Beckham hijacked a dance on their special day.

According to a source, it all started when singer Marc Anthony — who offered to perform at the wedding — introduced a song.

"Before the song began, Marc Anthony asked Brooklyn to come to the stage, and then announced, 'The most beautiful woman in the room tonight, come on up... Victoria Beckham!'" the source told the publication.

The source went on to claim that Nicola "felt that Victoria ruined her wedding, and couldn't understand why".

A different source remembered things differently, claiming that the newlyweds had their formal first dance earlier in the evening, and Anthony's song came later.

"Brooklyn and Victoria danced, David and Harper danced, and everyone had a great time," they said.

June 2025: Nicola and Brooklyn hire the same crisis team as Harry and Meghan.

Also in June, Brooklyn and Nicola hired a new lawyer to help them with their "reputation management".

According to The Mail on Sunday, the young couple enlisted the help of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's lawyer, Jenny Afia, a British solicitor who works for Schillings law firm.

This reportedly came after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex met Brooklyn and Nicola at a party in Montecito, California.

It is an interesting development, given both the Peltz-Beckhams and the Sussexes belong to some of the most powerful, influential, and reportedly fractured families in England.

June 2025: Nicola shares a cryptic message on social media.

Around the same time, Nicola shared, what some have called a pointed message on social media, praising her own mother, Claudia Peltz.

Posting on her Instagram story, the 30-year-old shared a quote which read: "I would choose my mum to be my mum in every lifetime. Again, and again, and again."

Considering the context of the alleged feud, many fans took the quote to be a subtle dig towards the 51-year-old former Spice Girl.

Image: Instagram.

May 2025: Brooklyn shares a cryptic message on social media.

Nicola's post came about a week after her husband shared his own subtly sassy message on Instagram.

On May 25th, the 26-year-old posted a clip of himself and Nicola riding a motorbike. Alongside the image, he shared a gushing statement about his wife.

"My whole world x I will love you forever," he wrote. "I always choose you baby x you're the most amazing person I know xx me and you forever baby."

Social media users took it as a targeted message about the rumoured family rift, criticising Brooklyn for reportedly picking his wife over his parents.

May 2025: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle invite Brooklyn and Nicola to dinner.

As reported by PEOPLE and broken by The Sun, in May, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex hosted a dinner at their Montecito residence that included Brooklyn and Nicola amongst the attendees. Intriguing!

PEOPLE reported that the gathering was a group dinner organised at Meghan and Harry's home, with Brooklyn and Nicola not specifically being singled out as direct invitees by the royal couple.

Image: Getty.

"Brooklyn and Nicola were invited prior to David's numerous global birthday galas, so the timing is pure coincidence," a source said.

"While it was an intimate gathering, there were several additional guests, including VIPs and film executives. Brooklyn and Nicola had a wonderful time and found Harry and Meghan to be particularly kind, caring and generous."

This proved particularly significant given the mounting rumours in recent years that Meghan and Harry aren't the close pals of Victoria and David that they once were.

Rumour has it, the rift is due to David's close friendship with Harry's rival brother, Prince William, along with claims that Meghan accused Victoria of leaking stories to the press, although none of this has been confirmed by named sources.

Funnily enough, that same month, Princess Catherine attended the British Fashion Council event in London, wearing a moss-green suit designed by Victoria Beckham. Fancy that!

While it could have been a coincidence, it's worth noting that Kate Middleton has rarely been spotted wearing Victoria's designs throughout her royal career, aside from the designer's sunglasses and a handbag.

Image: Getty.

May 2025: Brooklyn and Nicola miss David Beckham's 50th birthday party.

The feud rumours went into full force when Nicola and Brooklyn reportedly didn't show up to David Beckham's star-studded 50th birthday event, attended by the likes of Tom Cruise, Eva Longoria and Gordon Ramsay.

This was despite the power couple's other children, Romeo, Cruz, and Harper Beckham, all being in attendance for the London celebration.

At the time, reports suggested that the couple missed the event to avoid seeing Romeo and his new girlfriend Kim Turnbull, who reportedly dated Brooklyn in 2016, per The Mirror.

Brooklyn and Nicola also failed to publicly wish Victoria and David a happy birthday on social media this year — breaking from their usual tradition.

July 2024: Nicola and Brooklyn miss the annual family trip.

In July and August 2024, the Beckham clan embarked on a few family holidays, including their annual trip to Muskoka, Canada, and a glamorous European yacht trip along the coast.

While most of the Beckham kids were in attendance, Brooklyn and Nicola missed both trips.

At the time, however, Victoria shared a message to her son and daughter-in-law on social media, writing: "Missing you @brooklynpeltzbeckham @nicolaannepeltzbeckham."

How did the Brooklyn, Nicola, and Beckham family feud rumours start?

The rumours began with a dress. When Nicola and Brooklyn got engaged in 2020, Victoria Beckham allegedly offered to make the bride-to-be a wedding dress.

"Nicola said it would be her honour, that she would love to wear one of her originals," a source told PEOPLE.

Then, as time went on, Victoria allegedly called Nicola's mother to tell her she wouldn't be making the dress, said the source.

"Nicola was painted as a brat for not wearing Victoria Beckham at the wedding," the source said.

"She'd gone to a ton of Victoria Beckham fashion shows and events in Victoria's clothing. She even wore Victoria Beckham to her Lola movie premiere."

Nicola then denied any rumours of a feud over the dress, telling Variety: "I was going to [wear Victoria Beckham] and I really wanted to, and then a few months down the line, she realised that her atelier couldn't do it, so then I had to pick another dress.

"She didn't say you can't wear it; I didn't say I didn't want to wear it. That's where it started, and then they ran with that," she told the outlet at the time.

Despite this, the whispers of a feud haven't gone away. In fact, they've only grown louder with every missed family photo and cryptic comment.

So what do you think? Is there truth to the rumours, or has this whole thing been blown out of proportion?

Feature image: Instagram/@nicolaannepeltzbeckham.

This article was originally published in May 2025 and has since been updated.