The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have attended one Lakers game, an NBA All-Stars game (they sat courtside) and one LA Dodgers game (they sat in the owner’s box). Prince Harry has also gone to Formula 1 races in the US, and at least one soccer game in LA (he sat in a VIP box and got to see Lionel Messi play). Harry also attended the Super Bowl when it was in LA in 2022, and he sat in a VIP box with his cousin Princess Eugenie. My point? Harry and Meghan attend sporting events all the time, and they’re always given VIP treatment from the stadiums or the team owners or what have you. Harry and Meghan are A-list and rich, and I’m sure they’re paying for some of their VIP tickets, just as I’m sure they also get freebies and offers of free tickets. Well, now that the World Cup is upon us, the royalists are trying to convince people that Harry is being SNUBBED because something something David Beckham.
Prince Harry has not been invited to the FIFA World Cup Final—and insiders tell Naughty But Nice the reason is simple: David Beckham. The soccer icon is expected to be one of the biggest stars at the event, while Harry won’t be there at all.
“This isn’t about room on the guest list,” an insider tells me. “Football picked its prince years ago, and that prince is David Beckham.”
The snub carries extra sting because Harry and Meghan Markle were once close friends with David and Victoria Beckham. That relationship unraveled after the Sussexes allegedly accused the Beckhams of leaking stories to the British press.
“David never forgave it,” says a source. “The accusation destroyed the trust. Once that happened, there was no coming back.”
Since then, the Beckhams have moved firmly into Prince William’s circle. David has publicly supported William’s initiatives, while Princess Catherine is frequently seen wearing Victoria Beckham designs.
“The Beckhams chose William, and Harry knew exactly what that meant,” says an insider. “The relationship has been over for years.”
Now the World Cup Final has become the ultimate symbol of that split. The event will be packed with celebrities, billionaires, athletes, and world leaders. Beckham is expected to be welcomed as one of the faces of the tournament. Harry, meanwhile, is on the outside looking in.
“If football has to choose between Beckham and Harry, it’s not even a debate,” says a source. “Beckham is football royalty. Harry is yesterday’s news.”
For a prince who once topped every VIP guest list, that’s a remarkable fall from grace.
Keep in mind, the World Cup FINAL is five weeks away – it’s scheduled for July 19th, and it’s in New Jersey. And there are no guarantees that England will even make it to the final, or that David Beckham will try to gatekeep the final, which, again, is in New Jersey. Not England. Not Qatar. Not Kensington Palace. Beckham is legitimately powerful in the world of soccer/football, but this entire story is completely asinine. Besides, I could totally see Harry attending some matches in LA? Like, they’re playing World Cup matches everywhere in North America over the next five weeks. The USMNT is playing Paraguay at SoFi Stadium this evening. It would also be cool if Harry turned up for some other countries’ matches, like Australia or New Zealand or South Africa.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Cover Images.
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- Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex portrait during the 2023 Formula 1 Lenovo United States Grand Prix, 18th round of the 2023 Formula One World Championship from October 20 to 22, 2023 on the Circuit of The Americas, in Austin, USA -,Image: 815844615, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: 00123041, Model Release: no, Credit line: Xavi Bonilla / Panoramic / Avalon
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- AUSTIN, TEXAS, UNITED STATES: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex , at the 2023 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, United States.,Image: 815844634, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Michael Potts / Avalon
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- Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, F1 Grand Prix of USA at Circuit of The Americas on October 22, 2023 in Austin, United States of America. Photo by HOCH ZWEI Austin United States of America *** Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, F1 Grand Prix of USA at Circuit of The Americas on October 22, 2023 in Austin, United States of America,Image: 815952663, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/HOCH ZWEI / Avalon
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- Britain’s King Charles, patron of the Royal Horticultural Society, and Queen Camilla speak with businessman and retired football player David Beckham as they visit the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London, Great Britain, May 19, 2025.,Image: 1001047678, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Toby Melville/Avalon
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- Austin, TX – Amidst the high-octane excitement of the Formula 1 World Championship, Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, graced Race Day at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, adding a touch of royal charm to the thrilling event. Pictured: Prince Harry BACKGRID USA 22 OCTOBER 2023 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Austin, TX – Amidst the high-octane excitement of the Formula 1 World Championship, Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, graced Race Day at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, adding a touch of royal charm to the thrilling event. Pictured: Prince Harry BACKGRID USA 22 OCTOBER 2023 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Vancouver, CANADA – Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend the Vancouver Canucks hockey game in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Harry did the ceremonial puck drop and then the pair watched the contest from the owners box. Pictured: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 21 NOVEMBER 2023 BYLINE MUST READ: BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Vancouver, CANADA – Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend the Vancouver Canucks hockey game in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Harry did the ceremonial puck drop and then the pair watched the contest from the owners box. Pictured: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 21 NOVEMBER 2023 BYLINE MUST READ: BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- USA Rights Only – Sydney, Australia -20181027- Prince Harry Duke of Sussex, Meghan Duchess of Sussex, as well as Romeo Beckham and David Beckham attend the Wheelchair Basket Finals at Quay Centre, Olympic Park. -PICTURED: Romeo Beckham, David Beckham -PHOTO by: Doug Peters/EMPICS Entertainment/INSTARimages.com -39351658.jpg This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Instar Images LLC for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Instar Images LLC reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded Featuring: Romeo Beckham, David Beckham Where: Sydney, Sydney, Australia When: 27 Oct 2018 Credit: Doug Peters/EMPICS Entertainment/INSTARimages.com **USA Rights Only**
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- The Prince of Wales (left) with David Beckham in front of one of the new London Air Ambulance Charity helicopters, during a visit to RAF Northolt. The charity has received two new H135 helicopters via the ‘Up Against Time’ fundraising appeal, which was launched in 2021 and raised a total of £16 million. Featuring: William, Prince of Wales and David Beckham Where: London, United Kingdom When: 01 Oct 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Sir David Beckham smiles as King Charles III (left) visits the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London. Featuring: Sir David Beckham and King Charles III Where: London, United Kingdom When: 17 May 2026 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
The Beckham’s are false friends to the sussexes and there was the title that. Beckham wanted
Do you need to be invited to games that are open to the public, that anyone can attend if they buy a ticket? If Harry and Meghan wanted to attend the NBA Finals, they think that they would have to wait for an invite from someone?
Is this confusion about how things work, or is them trying to again push Harry’s being snubbed, and highlight William’s attendance at all these football matches as some sort of evidence of his popularity?
Their obsession with Harry and Meghan being ” snubbed” by popular UK figures, when they don’t live there and don’t move in those social circles is really sad. They’re just going to spend the next 30 years talking about how they didn’t come to this wedding, or this person didn’t meet with them when they were in Florida or DC and how that means that they’re lonely and have no friends.
IF Beckham distanced himself, it’s a gift. That man has devolved and he and Victoria seem messy and needy.
These stories are pathetic and make everyone in the story except Harry seem like childish, jealous losers.
If Harry wants to go he will – end of!
On the World Cup: as a Scot I’d like to apologise to Boston in advance of the Tartan Army’s (Scotlands travelling football fans) ‘Boston Beer Party’ where we will drink all your beer stock 🙂 We will clean up after ourselves thou.
No Scotland, No Party.
I am loving Scotland being in Boston (would be even better if they were in Chicago but we’re not hosting)
My husband is half Scottish so we’re supporting and ready to cheer from home
No Scotland No Party!
Whenever the Scots are in Germany for a match they get immediately adopted, everyone loves them and is sad that they go home. Best fans ever.
Beckham is in no position to “gatekeep” any match. If Harry wants to see one, he simply buys a ticket and goes. These “experts” are dumber than rocks. Since Shutner styles himself as a “royal expert” he lost braincells every day. To think he started his career in the PR team for Jennifer Lopez, before he decided to become another gossiper about the rich and famous!
How is David Beckham controlling anything?? This is their dumbest take yet. It’s a public event , anyone can go. Why do they think Harry would need Beckham’s “permission “ to go anywhere? These people really don’t understand the lack of control that family has once they leave Britain.
Anyone who can afford a ticket can go.
It’s so dumb that its hilarious. I mean, the author says that Beckham stopped speaking to Harry after Harry accused him of leaking stories to the press….but this whole article is one big “leak” so to speak.
If Harry wants to go to a World Cup game, he will go. that’s how these things work. Beckham does not control the World Cup and does not control FIFA. I mean Harry is Harry so he can go regardless but anyone who has the money for a ticket or to buy a box can go. FIFA will take your money, they dont care whose money it is.
I absolutely expect to see him attend at least one WC game in LA if nowhere else.
That story has circulated for a while, that the Sussexes accused the Beckhams of leaking to the press but do we even know if that’s true at all. This whole article is ridiculous. David doesn’t like harry. He likes William the best and takes his side and won’t let harry go to the World Cup. Omg, it’s so embarrassingly juvenile.
“These people really don’t understand the lack of control that family has once they leave Britain.”
Lol right?? Same with the royal family, who they think have access to Netflix contracts or can demand a US talk show host run his jokes by them. Is anyone in the UK dumb enough believe this??
I mean, I’m likely going to a match on Tuesday. Do I need to clear that with David Beckham first?
My apologies to Sir David but this take is HILARIOUS. He is not that important, sorry. In terms of FIFA he is someone who used to play football, that’s it. His greatest accomplishment has been the signing of Leo Messi to a MSL club very few people care about.
Oh please, half the people in the USA probably don’t even know who this man is and he isn’t the one selling tickets ffs.. suite holders gets a certain number of tickets with the suite and they don’t need Beckhams approval for who they give tickets to. I am beginning to despise the Beckhams for allowing these stories to continue to be published about Prince Harry with no pushback, because they have no problem running to the tabloids about everything with their son and his wife, so they have the all the tabloids on speed dial I’m sure.
I cant decide who is putting this story out there – David beckham or William. But it works from both sides. Beckham is putting this out there to assure William that he’s still his favorite royal and that he HATES harry and will of course reject Harry at all costs, or William is putting this out there to remind Beckham that he better reject Harry at all costs.
But either way, this story IMO is specifically a message between DB and William.
That makes it even worse. Special messages through the press. Embarrassing, my god.
The thing is, if Harry goes to a game, ALL the attention will be on him. Even if Sir (lmao) Beckham was there, people and the press would be absolutely focused on Harry. This is one reason I’m not sure if the Beckhams are behind this kind of narrative. I mean, sure, Scooter is dumb as rocks. But I thought the Beckhams had a little more street smarts.
To the real football fans, David Beckham is a long gone memory. He has almost no relevance at all. He’s more of a celebrity if anything.
This sounds like it came from Williams camp. “Beckham and football are mine Harold”
Exactly. He is a has been better known for his sponcon and brands. He’s not even a World Cup Winner and he’s a minority owner of an MSL club which in terms of FIFA it’s like owning a wooden horse while others own Thoroughbreds, sorry.
David needing to use Harry’s name says a lot as does William needing to make it seem as if the Beckhams are anything more than fodder. All this tells me is grown men need to stop being so catty because what happens when Harry attends a match? Is he even into football like that? It’s embarrassing at this point hopefully like Harry, David and William can move on with their lives.
While I read this as William using David’s name. Someone completely unfamiliar with the US is trying to imagine who or what Americans will find relevant— and is guessing wrong. I think Beckham at some point indicated his willingness to have his image used to support the Windsors however they might wish, and I think William is trying desperately to get one up on Harry, but has zero idea about what Americans in general care about. How many Americans actually care about the World Cup? How many know who Beckham is — or was — and care about who his friends are? So I’d guess that the real audience for this sort of claptrap might be William himself, and possibly only William himself.
Why would Harry even want to go to the WC Final, unless he wants to support 🇫🇷 Les Bleus?
England probably won’t advance beyond the QF.
Becks picked sides long ago, we know how hard he’s been groveling for that knighthood.
I saw ANOTHER ad with Beckham in it aside from potato chips. This week Isaw him in a Home Depot ad. It was ludicrous.
This has to be one of the silliest stories, I can’t help wondering if Beckham actually knows anything about it.
So I guess now they’re done playing Beckham the liege man of life and limb, the forsaken father, of faithless offspring, the rejected peacemaker, etc…. He’s been demoted to gatekeeper. They’re cycling through tropes. It’s pretty heavy going. Even they must get bored.
As Kaiser said the world cup final is going to be in New Jersey. It’s unlikely that he’s going to be there. Plus, Harry is more of a rugby fan than a football fan. But if does go to a game he’s going to one at the Sofi stadium. These people are just grasping at straws and desperate for clicks and subscribers.
Isn’t Harry supposed to be in the UK in July?
I remember when the Beckhams moved to LA to try to become local A-listers and were met with a collective shrug. No coverage of their lives, a genuine ‘who cares’ vibe. They moved away and no one really noticed.
I thought the Beckhams moved to LA because David signed with LA Galaxy to play 2007-2012. I thought both of them were thrilled to be in LA away from the Euro media glare that caused so much stress while he was playing in Spain and there were cheating rumors. Didn’t they talk about how LA was a great reset for them in their docuseries (or other media outlet)? One great benefit of David’s LA contract was the option to purchase an MLS expansion franchise – which turned out to be a smart investment in Inter-Miami.
I think David and Vicky are both still desperate to maintain their A-List status circa 1990s into perpetuity. Unfortunately, David’s changed his face and Vicki’s “designer” status is less than stellar, so them sucking up to William is what’s left. I’m sure Harry and Meghan aren’t the least bit concerned with them and their desperation to stay relevant. H & M are busy with their work, their causes and their family and are simply relishing their freedom from the BRF hellscape.
Beckham needs to work on his relationship with his son and daughter in law instead of playing gate keeper
The idea that Beckham was upset by the accusation of leaking is quite funny. He doesn’t deny doing it but how dare Harry accuse him. It sounds a lot like Kate and Willy being upset by Meghan setting the record straight on the “Meghan made Kate cry” story. They don’t deny that it’s true but how dare Meghan tell the truth and they’ll never forgive her for that.
Beckhams & Clooney’s are soo up cheater Charles & Camillas backside ,thirsty for honours, both dropped meghan and harry because titles from racist royal family is more important. Glad Prince harry and Dutchess meghan have ghosted these ghouls
Rob Shitster is a trash misogynistic who knows nothing but spreading lies. I hope Prince harry and meghan sue his troll asss
What do they mean “football picked its prince years ago”? David is a former footballer and Harry is a born prince. Neither were picked by football because one was paid to play the sport and the other isn’t the men’s football obsessed prince who attends games for fun to avoid working. Harry and Meghan were never close friends with David and Victoria. We’ve never seen one photo of these two couples together in the ten years that Harry and Meghan have been together. The only times we have seen Harry with either of them was when he was younger at Royal events. There never was a relationship. What VIP guest list was Harry on that he is no longer on? We’ve seen him at parties and concerts with VIP people as recently as last month.
Maybe David should use this trip to the states as an opportunity to fix his relationship with his son and DIL instead of there being any focus on Harry.
When were the Beckham’s close friends of Meghan and Harry. Is this even true? Never had that impression. Also, how do they manage to make the World Cup, with all its real and legitimate drama, about Prince Harry, who would only be a spectator? The focus should be on William, avid football fan, and if he’s going. Meanwhile the US government is revoking officials and tourists visas, searching players on the tarmac and just messing up the vibes.
I think Brits (and maybe Americans by proxy because most football news they can read is influenced by the UK) way overestimate the importance of David Beckham in the football world.
He was a good British player decades ago, made extra famous in the UK because of the tabloids and because he married a British pop singer, but he absolutely does not have that aura in other football countries or within FIFA.
This is a joke, right? The absurdity is off the charts! Are readers really falling for this nonsense? Seriously?
I knew this was a Shuster piece becuase it’s regurgitated gossip with zero sources.