Forgotten pictures that made me realise exactly what the rapacious Beckhams have done to Brooklyn. No wonder he’s cut them out

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When Brooklyn Beckham’s private Instagram messages surfaced, revealing his feelings of being controlled by his family and struggling with anxiety, my first thought was, ‘Here’s another wealthy child of privilege complaining.’

I honestly wasn’t sure who to see as the ‘bad guys’ in this situation – was it the Brooklyn camp, or the Beckhams themselves? I decided to search online for photos of Brooklyn when he was younger, and pictures of him with his parents, just to get a better understanding.

I’ve spent years looking at photos of Brooklyn – everything from when he was a baby, to his toddler years, and all the way through his teens. Seeing him with his parents, who I now see as almost angelic, in those pictures… it really feels like a lifetime of memories captured in those hundreds of images.

After spending hours looking at photos shared by David and Victoria Beckham, it’s clear a picture really is worth a thousand words. Seeing images of Brooklyn, from when he was just four months old to his role as ring-bearer at his parents’ wedding in 1999, made me wonder: does all this photographic evidence actually support Brooklyn’s claims?

Are we all buying into the Beckhams’ carefully crafted public image? They want us to believe that, despite their immense fame, they’re a close-knit, private family who prioritize their children’s well-being.

Tom Bower, who wrote a biography of David Beckham, may have been correct when he suggested that Brooklyn Beckham’s recent critical Instagram posts about his parents were predictable. Bower believes these posts were a genuine expression of the personal cost Brooklyn has experienced due to his family’s constant self-promotion and focus on building their brand.

Although Brooklyn, at 26, can seem spoiled, he’s incredibly sympathetic. He’s a classic example of someone hurt by demanding parents and a difficult family life.

Wow. Have we all been fooled into believing the seemingly perfect image of the Beckhams – with their wealth and huge social media following? It seems the carefully crafted story might not be true after all.

Is the trouble between Brooklyn Beckham and his family actually about him trying to escape what he feels is a controlling and unsettling dynamic, rather than being caused by his wife, Nicola Peltz, as some suggest?

Here’s a photo of baby Brooklyn being held by his mother shortly after his birth. The picture was taken in a private hospital, away from the paparazzi, and was personally shared by the Beckhams with their fans.

Brooklyn’s ex-girlfriend, Afton McKeith, also weighed in, recalling how she defended him back in 2017. She supported a post he made on Instagram, explaining that it had been difficult for him growing up with so much public attention.

His parents didn’t fully shield him from the pressures of fame, and the intense public attention surrounding ‘Brand Beckham’ led to significant anxiety for him.

She also mentioned that he had a difficult relationship with both of his parents, David and Victoria, as they were frequently absent due to work. Although he was around caregivers and siblings, he often felt lonely and disconnected.

The Beckhams’ social media doesn’t give the impression that their children were largely left to fend for themselves at home for months, raised primarily by nannies and other staff.

As Chris Bowers pointed out, Brooklyn was only four months old when he appeared at his parents’ wedding, featured in an exclusive photo shoot for OK! Magazine that reportedly cost millions of pounds. He was dressed in a tiny cream suit, mirroring his father’s outfit.

The famous footballer, known for his incredible free kicks and goals – often compared to David Beckham – recently stated he would never pose for photos with his children, and hadn’t done so up to that point.

Politely, may I say: ‘Absolute balderdash.’

If he thought he was keeping his son out of the limelight, he had a funny way of going about it.

Maybe he was overlooking the images of his young son, proudly wearing a Manchester United shirt with ‘Beckham 7’ on it, being carried on his shoulders in front of a huge crowd of fans.

It’s also hard to forget the painful photos of young Brooklyn wearing a LA Galaxy cap and jersey after his father’s soccer career declined and he attempted a comeback.

Sources say David and Victoria Beckham received around £1 million for the first photos of their son, Brooklyn. The media at the time dramatically hyped the pictures, calling Brooklyn ‘the most marketable baby’ ever.

Having worked as a national newspaper editor, I can confirm that Victoria routinely provided our entertainment team with advance notice of her whereabouts, allowing photographers to capture pictures of her and her children – and she always expected to be paid a significant amount for this information.

It’s interesting to hear Jo Elvin, host of Palace Confidential and former editor of You and Glamour magazines, share a story about receiving a Christmas card from Victoria Beckham in 2011. Elvin had never met Beckham before, but received a card addressed ‘Dear Jo, with love Victoria’ featuring a photo of the Beckham children – 12-year-old Brooklyn, 9-year-old Romeo, 6-year-old Cruz, and baby Harper – all posed together on a large sofa.

Jo shared the picture without realizing it was considered private, and the Beckhams’ public relations team criticized her for it. She had already suspected the photo was intended for publicity rather than being a personal Christmas greeting.

The final episode of the popular Netflix series about David Beckham – for which he reportedly earned around £25 million – showed a sad and regretful Beckham reflecting on the intense media attention his children have faced as the family became a public brand.

This was particularly noticeable with Brooklyn, who was only five years old when the paparazzi began to focus their attention on him.

In the last episode, David appeared thoughtful and emotional, almost in tears, as he reflected on Brooklyn’s past. He said Brooklyn was very young when he went through a difficult time, and David isn’t sure if it has had a lasting negative effect. He trailed off, admitting he just didn’t know.

Now you know, Dad.

Perhaps when you’re alone at night, you question if sacrificing your time and your family’s well-being for money was truly worth it.

David and Victoria Beckham have built a very successful image around their family life. However, has this come at a price? Specifically, have they damaged their relationship with their eldest child?

Okay, so I’ve been following Posh and Becks for ages, and it’s becoming so clear: all the money in the world from endorsements and being famous can’t hide what’s really going on. They’re finding that out the hard way, honestly. You can’t just make up a perfect image when everyone knows the truth is lurking underneath all that cash. It’s just… frustrating to watch, you know?

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2026-01-27 16:49