David Beckham is in Davos this week, because… I don’t even know? Don’t get me wrong, I won’t pretend that David isn’t a big deal. He’s going to become a billionaire (if he isn’t one already) off of his smart business decisions, including his investment in Inter Miami. He played the long game by sycophantically cozying up to the Windsors and he just received his longed-for knighthood late last year. He’s also become estranged from his oldest child, 26-year-old Brooklyn. On Monday, Brooklyn posted a lengthy statement about how his parents have tried to ruin his marriage. On Tuesday, a Sky News reporter tried to speak to David at Davos and David simply ignored the questions about Brooklyn:
David Beckham is in Davos – Sky's @pkelso took the chance to ask about his son's recent Instagram post.
Brooklyn Peltz Beckham broke his silence about his estrangement from his parents, saying he does not want to reconcile with his family.https://t.co/MYS7eu1QHb pic.twitter.com/AN8W8qaM7g
— Sky News (@SkyNews) January 20, 2026
This is cartoonish and funny. The fact that Sky News did, like, breaking news coverage of David dodging them, the fact that David clearly wasn’t ready to say anything, I don’t know. It tickled me. British outlets really do treat the Beckhams like they’re another royal family, so I guess it tracks that legit news outlets are treating this situation like it’s hard news. Well, soon after David dodged Sky News, he appeared on CNBC’s Squawk Box, where he spoke about social media. While he didn’t directly reference Brooklyn, it was certainly an interesting coincidence given that David’s oldest just read him for filth on Instagram.
Sir David Beckham has said that “children make mistakes on social media” in his first comments since his son Brooklyn Peltz Beckham’s incendiary Instagram post. Sir David was interviewed at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he is promoting a sports partnership with the Bank of America. On the eve of Sir David’s appearance in Davos, Brooklyn, 26, posted a lengthy statement on Instagram accusing his parents, David and Victoria, of trying to control his life and ruin his marriage to Nicola Peltz-Beckham.
Speaking to CNBC’s Squawk Box programme about the dangers of social media for children’s mental health, Sir David said: “I’ve always spoken about social media and the power of social media for the good and for the bad. The bad we’ve talked about with what kids can access these days and it can be dangerous.
“But what I’ve found personally, especially with my kids: use it for the right reasons.”
Sir David said he used his own social media platform to promote his work as a global ambassador for Unicef. He went on: “I’ve tried to do the same with my children, to educate them. They make mistakes. Children are allowed to make mistakes. That’s how they learn. So that’s what I try to teach my kids. But, you know, you have to sometimes let them make those mistakes as well.”
The former England star did not make any direct reference to Brooklyn’s Instagram post, in which his list of grievances included the claim that Lady Beckham, the former Spice Girl, “hijacked” the first dance at his wedding with an “inappropriate” dance floor display that left him humiliated.
What David says is correct, children need to be given space to make mistakes and learn from those mistakes. Does it follow that he was referencing Brooklyn? Eh. I am genuinely interested to see how David and Victoria react to Brooklyn’s statement in the coming days and weeks. I kind of think they will return fire by issuing a joint statement.
Also, I’m not going to devote a whole post to this, but Marina Hyde wrote a Guardian column about the Beckham situation and she made some great points about how D&V commodified every part of Brooklyn’s life, starting with his conception and going all the way through his childhood and adulthood.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- Davos on Air: ReThinking with Adam Grant session with Adam Grant, Saul P. Steinberg Professor of Management and Psychology, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, USA; at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, on 20/1/2026 from 10:00 to 10:30 in the Congress Centre – Davos On Air (Zone C), Podcast. (podcast/thinking 1). 2026 World Economic Forum,Image: 1067626246, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Mattias Nutt/World Economic Forum/Avalon
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- Davos on Air: ReThinking with Adam Grant session with Adam Grant, Saul P. Steinberg Professor of Management and Psychology, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, USA; at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, on 20/1/2026 from 10:00 to 10:30 in the Congress Centre – Davos On Air (Zone C), Podcast. (podcast/thinking 1). 2026 World Economic Forum,Image: 1067626256, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Mattias Nutt/World Economic Forum/Avalon
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- Davos on Air: ReThinking with Adam Grant session with Adam Grant, Saul P. Steinberg Professor of Management and Psychology, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, USA; at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, on 20/1/2026 from 10:00 to 10:30 in the Congress Centre – Davos On Air (Zone C), Podcast. (podcast/thinking 1). 2026 World Economic Forum,Image: 1067626263, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Mattias Nutt/World Economic Forum/Avalon
This is the first time I’ve heard David Beckham speak in this topic and the forum is an Economic forum to promote his business investments. Yet he claims he has “always” spoken about it. Seems a convenient opportunistic move to co-opt an issue to score points against his son. After all as noted, D&V commodified every part of Brooklyn’s life, starting with his conception and going all the way through his childhood and adulthood. But I hope I am mistaken in my viewpoint about his genuine concern and advocacy on the issue.
Excerpt
‘Sir David said: “I’ve always spoken about social media and the power of social media for the good and for the bad. The bad we’ve talked about with what kids can access these days and it can be dangerous. But what I’ve found personally, especially with my kids: use it for the right reasons.”’ 🤨
Marina Hyde’s article was very interesting. I also think Prince Harry’s lawsuit is extremely interesting and relevant. What has been proven over and over again in a number of cases is that tabloids use illegal or underhanded means to gain insider information that they then print as coming from “sources”. What’s the result of this? Read Sadie Frost’s testimony, it’s horrible. You start believing that the source must be someone close to you. The person that the article is “pro”. Friendships destroyed. Families torn apart. You’re unable to trust anyone and just become more and more enraged as each story comes out. And it was never that. It was the media inventing stories to create drama and then sit back and watch the fallout. This is exactly what Rebecca English is alleged to have done to Chelsea. Using PIs but saying it was one of Chelsea’s school mates. Imagine the distrust and damage that did to Chelsea’s trust in her friends.
It would not surprise me at all if the same hasn’t happened with the Beckhams and Brooklyn.
Marina Hyde’s article is excellent.
I’m prepared to believe that no one’s exactly a villain here, that the Beckhams love their children. But their lives have been deeply corrupted by the incessant pursuit of the limelight and the commodification of family Beckham and that’s really damaged their relationship with Brooklyn.
It’s so sad for everyone involved.
I like the grace you have shown the Beckhams.
I believe the truth lies somewhere between the two accounts, but I still have issues with the Beckhams not shutting it down when the tabloids first started. How could you allow the same tabloids that caused you and your relationship so much harm to attack your child? A statement would have put an end to the speculation. And the two families could have handled the matter privately.
I don’t mind that the Beckhams haven’t issued any kind of public statement. If you start responding to one thing the tabloids are saying, you have to all of the time. Otherwise it’s easy to claim that they denied something once, so now if they aren’t, it must be true.
His face looks crazy. I think it’s all the cheek filler.
Brit here, and I remember when they announced that Brooklyn was named after the place where he was conceived. . This was before social media, so it was newspaper headlines and magazine covers everywhere. Imagine growing up with parents like that, they must be so much worse now!
This is such an interesting example of how the media saying things gets accepted as truth. Are you really sure that the Beckhams announced this? Or is it that the media reported it? I guess I am asking what is it you really remember? Because in Victoria’s autobiography, she disputes this and says in her own words that she and David just liked the name…
You’re right, it was the headline the press ran with. Posh actually said she found out she was pregnant in brooklyn, but he was conceived in Denmark.
The Beckham parents will release some statement of how they are supporting their son…. Then use the one of their tabloid contacts to trash Brooklyn.
^This
They wanted him to sign away the rights to his NAME!!!
What he could not use the name Beckham???
Sounds like DROP THE TITLES
Trashing your kid’s new wife in public via anon sources in tabloids is horrible. I challenge anyone to live through that and still feel love for the people behind it. I’d go no contact with them too.
Hopefully David and Victoria will read Brooklyn’s IG posts and do some soul searching and reflection about their relationship with him.
Just an observation: Brooklyn got married, took his wife’s name, told everyone that his name was now Brooklyn Pelz Beckham and every respected that and he is referred to by his new name in all reports.
Meghan got married, took her husband’s name, said “I’m Meghan Sussex now” and these same media reporters go out of their way to ignore her wishes and use her maiden name in all of their reporting. Hmm.