
Key to toxic rift between Beckham and Peltz camps finally REVEALED – and why David & Victoria fear Brooklyn is ‘trapped'
THE Bank of Mum and Dad is a bone of contention for many a Boomer and Generation X-er – just ask David and Victoria Beckham.
After months of heartbreaking animosity between Brooklyn and his parents, money — I'm told — has long caused a fractious divide between his own family and his bride's.
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News of Posh and Becks' eldest son 'buying' a £11million Hollywood mansion with wife Nicola Peltz has brought tensions simmering, once again, to the surface.
Because I can reveal that Brooklyn does not entirely own the swanky five-bed, six-bathroom pad overlooking the magnificent Pacific Ocean.
Largely Nicola — the daughter of a billionaire — does.
According to concerned friends of David and Victoria, this leaves Brooklyn 'trapped', as does a forensic pre-nup which, again, was drawn up to secure the Peltz family 's enormous wealth — a fortune that relatively dwarves the Beckhams'.
But, as ever in this ongoing row, there are counter-arguments from both sides.
Incredibly, the Peltzes accuse the Beckhams of being 'tight' and not amply providing for their beloved son. A source tells me: 'Money, so the saying goes, is the root of all evil.
'Certainly, in the case of the Beckhams vs Peltzes, it's proven... tricksy. David and Victoria are two working-class kids done good.
'They have grafted hard for their money and understand that with privilege comes responsibility.
'On principle, they will not needlessly spoil their kids and have taught them the value of both industry and money. They're like Gordon and Tana Ramsay in that regard.
'Honourable intentions'
'So, when it came to buying this house, of course they weren't just going to hand their son millions of pounds — what sort of message does that send?
Brooklyn Beckham's family rift deepens as he turns back on UK by splashing out £11m on LA mansion with wife Nicola Peltz
' Nelson Peltz, on the other hand, is a billionaire investor and he and his wife Claudia regard Nicola, their little girl, as the apple of their eye.
'Understandably, they want to indulge her and ensure she never struggles — they expected the Beckhams, worth half a billion themselves, might match them penny for penny. Or, at least, chip in with financials as and when.
'That hasn't always happened, so they are annoyed and telling people it's a bit tight, which would utterly enrage David and Vic if they knew.
'They claim the Beckhams effectively cut off their kids financially when they turn 18.'
Such an accusation would doubtless enrage Team DVB. Indeed, it does.
It is, I am told, 'nonsense'.
A friend hits back: 'To be crystal clear, David and Victoria will always support Brooklyn if and when he needs it.
"When he was setting up on his own, they would regularly help him out — as parents do — but they won't spoil him. They still help all their grown-up kids.'
Brooklyn and Nicola's new home was largely paid for using her trust fund money — but, as the 'settlor', or creator, of the fund. Nelson had to sign off the release of any money.
Pals insist both Brooklyn and Nicola also put in their work savings, and have 'been saving for years'.
It is not known how much they contributed themselves
Nicola's camp, meanwhile, insists this house has 'nothing to do with family dynamics'.
And they say that for Brooklyn — who spent much of his childhood in California while his dad David played for LA Galaxy — 'LA has always felt like home'.
However, another source says the new pad was actually the couple's second house purchase. Nelson was adamant first time around that the young couple must 'both only buy a house they can afford'.
They ended up selling the initial property. So this, then, is their first proper home together and will doubtless be a place they hope to one day raise a family.
Although, not for now, according to one of Nicola's pals, who says she recently started work on a new film and is currently on location shooting.
That movie, I'm told, co-stars little- known English socialite Jazzy de Lisser, and has a £1.2million budget. It is described as 'art house' and 'lets Nicola show off her acting mettle.'
Sadly, the positive PR surrounding Nicola's last film, 2024's Lola, seems a world away. The glitzy red carpet premiere in Los Angeles was attended by Victoria, as well as Brooklyn's brothers, Romeo and Cruz. (David was away working at the time and Harper was at school).
Today, ex- Spice Girl VB would sooner get on stage to belt out Wannabe a cappella than support one of Nicola's projects.
The new purchase for the Peltz-Beckhams (the throughly modern couple sweetly wanted to take each other's surnames) comes three years after their lavish £3.5million wedding.
The ceremony was held within the grounds of the Peltzes' stunning Floridian family estate. They are understood to have largely paid for the event — as is custom.
The Beckhams, however, offered the services of pal Marc Anthony as a superstar wedding singer, and bought the couple a vintage Jaguar as a gift.
In the weeks leading up to the divisive nuptials — more on these later — Brooklyn, 26, reportedly signed the 'mother of all pre-nups '.
Not surprisingly, canny Nelson — with whom Brooklyn is extremely close — ensured that, in the unlikely case of divorce, his family assets would be protected.
'Pre-nups are standard practice Stateside,' says someone familiar with the Peltz-Beckham contract. 'Especially if you're a billionaire.
'To be honest, the Beckhams were very relaxed about it all. To be frank, it was entirely unexpected — and very welcome — for Brooklyn to have met someone who comes from more wealth than him.
It was entirely unexpected — and very welcome — for Brooklyn to have met someone who comes from more wealth than him
'They felt Nicola's intentions were entirely honourable, and the paperwork effectively made sure that what both parties put into the marriage, they would take back out.
'It wasn't a problematic moment.'
While not 'problematic', it does mean Brooklyn must keep earning. A kept man, he is not.
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'Brooklyn's influencer work is lucrative, and he has his Cloud 23 (hot sauce brand), which is beginning to do pretty well,' says a pal.
'He certainly contributes a lot financially to the marriage and, of course, Nicola is savvy and keen to make them a brand in their own right as a couple.
"You'll notice all their recent red carpet appearances have been together, and they very much seem to come as a pair at the moment.'
Case in point, their recent Glamour Germany front cover, a special 'Love Rules' edition for the digital mag. The highly tactile pair gave a touching interview, talking about their early days of courting.
Came to a head
Brooklyn said of his wife: 'You should marry your best friend. Someone who feels like home. For me, that's Nicola.'
He also revealed his 'strict' parents banned him from getting a tattoo until the day he turned 18, while Nicola, 30, who is Jewish, said her first inking read 'family first' in Yiddish.
Brooklyn's first tattoo, of course, was a tribute to his once-beloved dad. How sad, then, to see things turn out this way.
In the same interview, the couple recalled their emotional wedding day — a day that has since proffered, as the late Queen might have said, 'very differing recollections'.
In fact, it was recently claimed that Nicola cried on her wedding day after Victoria 'hijacked' the first dance. The Beckhams have furiously denied this, livid at the suggestion Victoria would deliberately upset her daughter-in-law.
There is, though, a wedding video of the entire day which, I'm told, Nicola and Brooklyn have in their possession. They could, then, clear up any mistruths once and for all, if and when they want to.
To recap, Brooklyn has not spoken meaningfully to his parents in seven months.
Tensions came to a head last month when Brooklyn failed to attend former England star David's 50th birthday celebrations, despite him being in the UK that week.
His friends claim he tried to meet his dad for a private coffee, but was rebuffed. The pair's last communication is understood to have been a 'happy birthday' text.
While pals blame the fallout on younger brother Romeo's romance with DJ Kim Turnbull — which she has denied — the Beckhams point the finger of blame solely at Nicola.
In truth, there has never been much love lost there — bar a brief detente around 18 months ago — and they accuse her of driving a wedge between Brooklyn and his once-inseparable family.
At the same time, Brooklyn has developed a deep bond with the actress's own family — regularly praising them on Instagram and spending 'happy' time with them at their home.
However, David's pals believe Father's Day on Sunday may have 'offered up some hope' — because Brooklyn did not use the occasion to praise his father-in-law.
'That would have been an utterly devastating kick in the teeth,' I'm told. OK, he didn't post a tribute to David, but he also didn't do one for Nelson. It's a tiny, silly thing, really — but everyone is hopeful it's an olive branch of sorts.
'It's all very messy but, at the end of the day, these are two loving families, albeit with very different views and core beliefs, who just want the best for their kids.
'There is no right or wrong, and it's heartbreaking for everyone involved.
'Ultimately, all anyone wants is for Brooklyn and Nicola to be happy, and for some sort of wider truce. It just takes someone to make the first move.'
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Daily Mail
40 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE The poignant reason Brooklyn Beckham has decided to set up home in LA with wife Nicola Peltz is revealed as couple's £11m Hollywood mansion exposes new twist in family feud
The poignant reason behind Brooklyn Beckham 's decision to give up his life in London to set up home in LA has been revealed, after his new £11 million mansion exposed a shocking new twist in the family feud. The chef, 26, and his wife Nicola Peltz have been in the midst of an escalating feud with his parents after the couple were absent from all of the former footballer's 50th birthday celebrations. Sources previously claimed that Brooklyn has severed any ties to the UK by splashing out £11 million on a new home with Nicola in LA, sparking concerns it could deepen his feud with his parents. However, an insider has told MailOnline that the decision has 'nothing to do with family dynamics,' with Brooklyn simply more at-home in LA after spending much of his childhood living in the US. A source shared: 'This house has nothing to do with family dynamics. David and Victoria also own property in the US, this is no different. 'Both Nicola and Brooklyn's careers are based in Los Angeles, and Brooklyn spent part of his childhood there while his father played for LA Galaxy. 'During that time, he attended school in LA for several years and built a life and friendships in the city. LA has always felt like home to him.' These revelations came as it's reported that the financial aspect of Brooklyn's new home that has sparked some tensions between his parents, and Nicola's father, billionaire Nelson Peltz. The Sun are reporting that Brooklyn does not entirely own the five-bedroom mansion, with a majority of the property owned by Nicola. Sources are now claiming that David and Victoria now feel their son is 'trapped,' especially after he signed an iron-clad prenup before he and Nicola married in 2022. However, the Peltzs have accused the Beckhams of being 'tight' and failing to support their son. It's thought that Brooklyn and Nicola's new home was largely paid for using her trust fund money, but as the creator of the fund, Nelson had to sign off releasing the funds, and the couple also contributed work savings when buying the property. Referencing David and Victoria, a source said: 'When it came to buying this house, of course they weren't just going to hand their son millions of pounds — what sort of message does that send? 'Nelson Peltz, on the other hand, is a billionaire investor and he and his wife Claudia regard Nicola, their little girl, as the apple of their eye. 'Understandably, they want to indulge her and ensure she never struggles — they expected the Beckhams, worth half a billion themselves, might match them penny for penny. Or, at least, chip in with financials as and when. 'That hasn't always happened, so they are annoyed and telling people it's a bit tight, which would utterly enrage David and Vic if they knew.' 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Brooklyn's brother Romeo's ex-girlfriend Kim Turnbull had been at the centre of the row after Nicola reportedly claimed that she felt uncomfortable around her, with sources close to the US heiress saying that Kim had dated Brooklyn when they were teenagers, which she has now denied in a statement. Sharing a statement on her Instagram page on Monday, Kim said: 'I've avoided speaking on this topic to prevent adding fuel to the fire, however it's come to a point where I feel the need to address it so I can move on. 'I will not continue to receive harassment or be embarrassed on the basis of lies, to fit a certain narrative. 'I have never been romantically involved in ANY capacity at ANY point with the person in question. 'Nothing between us has occurred further than a school friendship at age 16. I would like to remove myself from the ongoing conversation & set the record straight for the sake of everyone involved.' Things came to a head when Brooklyn and Nicola were no shows at any of David's 50th birthday celebrations last month, with The Mail revealing that Kim has been made the 'scapegoat' in the feud. They failed to attend any of football legend David's five celebrations to mark his milestone birthday, including celebrations in Miami, London, Paris the Cotswolds and a boys fishing trip to Scotland. Brooklyn then seemed to fail to publicly acknowledge his father's Knighthood for his services to sport and charity as part of the King's Birthday Honours list. David, 50, said over the weekend: 'It's been an emotional week I must admit. For me and for my family. It's obviously very special. 'It's a huge honour, but one that has been shared with myself and my family and so, it's been emotional.'


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When Ben Bolt was sent the script for a television drama about an aristocratic family and their domestic servants in post-Edwardian England, his every instinct told him that it was a winner. As a director whose credits spanned the Atlantic and ranged from The Sweeney and Bergerac to Hill Street Blues and LA Law, he thrived on the challenge of taking a great story from page to screen — and as he read Julian Fellowes's outline for the first series of what was to become Downton Abbey, he almost purred with pleasure. The script had been sent to him by his old friend Gareth Neame, the executive producer on the project and with whom he made the 1998 thriller Getting Hurt as part of the BBC's Obsessions series. Would he be interested in directing a few episodes? At the time he was working on the fifth series of Doc Martin, the ITV comedy drama starring Martin Clunes, but the question was a no-brainer. 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The actor Simon Williams, his long-term opponent and partner on court, recalled that he managed to be 'competitive and comedic at the same time' and when he played a poor shot would let out a frustrated cry of 'Ben-e-diiiict!' The record number of 'Benedicts' in a set was said to be only six, which suggested that his smashes and lobs found their mark more often than they missed. Benedict Lawrence Bolt was born in 1952, the son of Jo (née Roberts), a novelist, and Robert Bolt, in Butleigh, Somerset, where his father, who would go on to write the screenplays for Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago and A Man for All Seasons, was teaching at Millfield School. His parents divorced when he was ten and his father married the actress Sarah Miles. It meant he saw less of him than he would have wished but they retained a close relationship. After Robert suffered a stroke, he lived for a time with his son and daughter-in-law and when he died in 1995, he bequeathed the responsibility for protecting his work to him in his will. Educated at Brockenhurst Grammar School, Bolt went on to the Courtauld Institute of Art but left without completing his studies. He continued to draw all his life but he had caught the film bug while accompanying his father on sets as a boy, and keen to launch a career in the industry, he enrolled at the National Film School. In later life he returned to the school as a lecturer and is remembered by former students as a mentor with a bottomless well of encouragement and advice. His breakthrough as a freelance TV director came in the mid-1970s when he took charge of episodes of the ITV dramas Van der Valk and The Sweeney, and Target for the BBC. By the mid-1980s he had been headhunted by the American networks. He had flown to Los Angeles for a meeting out of little more than curiosity but when he was offered Hill Street Blues he stayed for the best part of a decade, setting up home in the Hollywood Hills. On his return to Britain in the 1990s he directed the acclaimed TV mini-series Scarlet and Black starring Ewan McGregor and Rachel Weisz as well as his wife, and Wilderness starring Gemma Jones as a librarian-cum-werewolf. There were also a number of made-for-TV films including a splendid adaptation of Henry James's The Turn of the Screw with Colin Firth. One of his greatest successes came with the long-running Doc Martin, shot on location in the Cornish fishing village of Port Isaac, and which he directed from its launch in 2003 over five seasons until 2011, drawing a viewing audience of more than ten million. He also turned his hand to writing scripts for episodes of the comedy drama, something friends and family urged him to do more. The shadow of a screenwriting father with a brace of Oscars to his name perhaps made him more reticent than he need have been. The final project he was involved in was the currently touring version of his father's play A Man for All Seasons, starring Martin Shaw as Thomas More and which is due to arrive in the West End at the Harold Pinter Theatre in August. Bolt acted as a consultant, attending read-throughs and rehearsals and with his daughter attended a performance at the Oxford Playhouse three months before he died. Ben Bolt, director and screenwriter, was born on May 9, 1952. He died of leukaemia on May 10, 2025, aged 73