logo
David Beckham and Prince Harry's 'bitter fallout' and how Becks got ultimate revenge

David Beckham and Prince Harry's 'bitter fallout' and how Becks got ultimate revenge

Daily Record01-05-2025

David and Harry were once really good mates until one incident changed things between them.
David Beckham and Prince Harry were once very good friends but things took a turn and things soon soured between them.
The two were acquainted for some time but their relationship apparently fell apart after one incident in particular. In Tom Bower's book, it was claimed that Becks and Harry had fallen out when Meghan Markle made an "exclusion order" at the Invictus Games.
David and Victoria Beckham both attended Harry and Meghan's wedding in 2018 alongside various other celebrities including Serena Williams, Oprah Winfrey, and George Clooney.
Bower had suggested that Meghan had given the Beckhams an "exclusion order" from the 2018 Games, just five months after they tied the knot, and that the snub had led him to exact "revenge" against Prince Harry, writes The Mirror.
In his book House of Beckham, he penned: "Photographs of the two together were forbidden. David Beckham was said to be puzzled as to why Harry wouldn't meet him. The exclusion order, it later transpired, was issued by Meghan. She did not want any competition in the media from Beckham, and especially not from his wife Victoria."
However, David has a good friendship with Harry's brother Prince William. He was invited to Boston for the Earthshot Prize amid the 2022 World Cup. He travelled half way across the world to be there for the special event, which supports raising awareness and combatting climate change and was David's way of "getting his revenge for the Sydney snub".
"Whenever the Prince of Wales sends me a message and says 'I need you to do this' or 'be there', it's always a 'yes,'" he had said, "Over the years, I've done a lot with the Prince of Wales, and I've always been there whenever he's asked me to get involved with things."
David describes himself as a royalist and has been supportive of the Royal Family his whole life. He said in a recent interview: "I always get emotional talking about anything that I do with our Royal Family. I was brought up in a household that adored and loved everything that came with the Royal Family."
When he was asked to represent the King's foundation, David admitted his mother cried. "She knows my grandparents would have been proud that I have played such an important role in the Royal Family and the charities that they have. Our King is an incredible man," he added.
David was also there when Prince William attended the end of the London Air Ambulance Charity's 'Up Against Time' appeal to celebrate the two new helicopters. David attended in his role as ambassador of the London Air Ambulance Charity.
He said: "As soon as I was asked to be involved by Prince William it was something I was very honoured to do in all honesty." He praised the "incredible work that the pilots and the medics do and the millions of lives they've saved" and he had also said it was something he had been "very proud to be invited to be part of".
Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.
You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.
All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in!
If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like.
To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Inside David Beckham's 20-year campaign for a knighthood
Inside David Beckham's 20-year campaign for a knighthood

Telegraph

timean hour ago

  • Telegraph

Inside David Beckham's 20-year campaign for a knighthood

When David Beckham attended the Chelsea Flower Show last month his conversation with King Charles raised the eyebrows of regular Royal watchers. Beckham, who was wearing a new rose named in the King's honour, had just turned 50 and it seemed His Majesty had bought the former England captain a present. 'You got it, didn't you?' Charles was overheard saying, with Beckham replying 'It was incredible, thank you. It was very kind.' Now it seems that Beckham has received the gift he treasured above all others – a knighthood. Receiving the ultimate accolade from the British establishment has been very much a crusade for Beckham for the past 15 years, one in which he has successfully cultivated friendships within the Royal family alongside a remarkably effective public relations campaign. How much a knighthood means to him is clear from emails written more than a decade ago, before being hacked and leaked in 2017, which show Beckham was clearly furious over his wait to be knighted. 'They r [sic] a bunch of c---s,' Beckham allegedly wrote about the honours committee. 'Unless it's a knighthood, f--- off.' He added: 'Who decides on the honors [sic]?? It's a disgrace to be honest and if I was American I would have got something like this 10 years ago.' Beckham's representatives said the emails, which included one railing against Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins getting an OBE in 2014 after previously admitting taking drugs – had been 'doctored' and 'taken out of context'. But his quest to become 'Sir David' has nevertheless been a long one, and it is one in which the Royals loom large. Loos scandal did little harm to brand It is 22 years since Beckham was made an OBE for services to football, an honour which in itself was quite remarkable considering there had been effigies hung of him just five years previously after his red card at the 1998 World Cup. By that point he had already begun the charity work that has undoubtedly proven crucial to him becoming the youngest former former footballer to be knighted, having supported Unicef while playing for Manchester United. Accusations that he cheated on wife Victoria with Rebecca Loos after quitting United for Real Madrid – which he denied – had a limited impact on Brand Beckham and, by 2005, he had become a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador. That same year he was part of the delegation Britain dispatched to Singapore in a bid to secure the 2012 Olympics for London. The stunning success of that bid is said to have been behind him first being put forward for a knighthood in 2011 before he had even retired from playing. But any plans to award him the honour were vetoed when he was caught up in a tax avoidance scheme. It was a bid for sport's other mega-event that allowed him to cement a close bond with the current Prince of Wales. The two were united as the figureheads of England's unsuccessful bid for the 2018 World Cup, and their close bond was seen last October when they greeted each other like old friends at an official engagement to celebrate the replacement of London's ageing air ambulance helicopters. At that stage, though, it seemed that if Beckham were to be honoured it would be for his charity work, with the midfielder giving away the wages he earned at Paris St-Germain, his final club. There was some cynicism even then, with the leak of Beckham's hacked messages forcing him to deny claims he had used his children's charity work as part of a campaign to win a knighthood. He was also furious that the messages depicted him as demanding money from Unicef – with which he established the '7 Fund' in 2015 – to pay for flights and hotels to visit its projects. Unicef came to the star's defence, describing Beckham 'as generously giving his time, energy and support to help raise awareness and funds for Unicef's work for children'. It added: 'David has given significant funds personally. The 7 Fund supports programmes for children, tackling issues such as malnutrition, violence, AIDS and emergencies.' It would not be the last time Beckham would come under fire for his off-field choices, as in 2021 he was criticised for signing a 10-year, reported £150 million deal to become an ambassador for Qatar in the build-up to the last World Cup. His promotion of a country with a poor human rights record – and where the death penalty can apply to those found to be in same-sex relationships – sparked a major backlash. Comedian Joe Lycett famously shredded what appeared to be £10,000 (it later turned out not to be real cash) along with Beckham's 'status as a gay icon'. Beckham later said he was 'proud' of his role and that the World Cup had been the 'safest' for the LGBTQ community 'for a long time'. Helped by falling out with Harry and Meghan In hindsight, the more significant event of 2021 was the fact he was cleared by the tax authorities to receive an upgrade to his OBE. That opened the path to his knighthood, and it was one Beckham duly followed as his interactions with the Royal family accelerated. He was helped by the fact that, just like Charles and William, he had fallen out with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Beckham had previously been close with both Princes and their wives, and attended their weddings. But when Beckham flew to Australia in October 2018 to help promote Prince Harry's Invictus Games in Sydney, he is said to have been snubbed by the Sussexes, who allegedly went to great lengths to avoid being photographed alongside him. It has since been claimed that Meghan believed Victoria Beckham had leaked stories about her to the press. The suggestion was strongly refuted. When Prince Harry and Meghan became estranged from the Royal family and started giving interviews loaded with private family revelations and allegations, the Beckhams were said to be less than impressed. If sides were being picked, David knew where his loyalties lay. Indeed, Beckham's painful estrangement from eldest son Brooklyn amid a family feud involving daughter-in-law Nicola Peltz has echoes of the breakdown of the King's relationship with Prince Harry since his son and Meghan quit as working royals to live in the United States. There, they have reportedly mixed in the same circles as Brooklyn and Nicola. Arguably, though, nothing helped Beckham's cause more than when he queued up for 13 hours to pay his respects to Queen Elizabeth II following her death in September 2022. While some celebrities infamously jumped the queue, Beckham joined the estimated quarter of a million people who patiently waited their turn. Beckham, who had been awarded his OBE by the late Queen, told the BBC: 'I was so lucky that I was able to have a few moments like that in my life, to be around Her Majesty.' But it is Beckham's remarkable relationship with the King that may well have put the seal on his impending knighthood. What has blossomed into a love-in began in earnest gesture shortly after the coronation, when Beckham, who had discovered a love of beekeeping during the coronavirus crisis, gave the King a jar of home-produced honey – D Bee'z Sticky Stuff – at an awards ceremony in London celebrating British fashion. The gesture landed well. The King, who has long kept bees at his Royal estates and harbours a genuine love for different types of honey, thanked him and said: 'We shall have to do a swap.' Beckham admitted at the time that he was 'excited' to meet the King, describing himself as a lifelong admirer of the Royal family. As a child, he is said to have made an annual pilgrimage to Buckingham Palace with his grandparents, Joseph and Peggy, to watch Trooping the Colour. He spoke of his hitherto unknown passion for nature in 2023's candid Netflix documentary about his life, chatting about the bees he kept on his Cotswolds estate near Great Tew in Oxfordshire. Just a few months later, in June 2024, there he was swapping beekeeping tips with the King. The pair met up privately at the monarch's Highgrove home, some 50 miles from the Beckhams' residence, to discuss plans for him to become an ambassador for the King's Foundation. Pictures released to mark the announcement shortly afterwards showed them laughing together on the King's doorstep, dressed in their smart country attire. 'Having developed a love for the countryside, I'm also on a personal mission to learn more about rural skills which is so central to the foundation's work,' Beckham said at the time. 'It was inspiring to hear from the King about the work of His Majesty's foundation during my recent visit to Highgrove Gardens – and compare beekeeping tips!' It must also be said that the friendship is by no means a one-way street. The King's Foundation has gone to great lengths to attract an array of high-profile personalities to become ambassadors in recent months. From Sienna Miller to rugby star Maro Itoje – the latest recruit, announced on Friday – the charity is keen to reach as wide a demographic as possible in its efforts to promote the synergy between people and planet. Beckham, one of the world's most recognised figures, was a great catch and the invitations then came thick and fast. In December, both David and his wife joined the King and Queen at a state banquet at Buckingham Palace, held in honour of the Qatari ruler. In February, the couple were among the King's guests at a black-tie dinner at Highgrove to celebrate Anglo-Italian relations and, the following month, Victoria was invited to Buckingham Palace for a Women of the World event hosted by the Queen. Then, last month, the Princess of Wales wore a Victoria Beckham suit during a visit to the British Fashion Council – not the first time she had been spotted in one of the former Spice Girl's designs. That was followed shortly afterwards by the visit to the Chelsea Flower Show and the King's 'gift' to Beckham. Whether the gift itself was the knighthood few will know, but no one can dispute that Beckham's hard work has finally earned him the one royal seal of approval he has always craved.

Coronation Street actor says 'miss you so much' after star's 'really sad' exit
Coronation Street actor says 'miss you so much' after star's 'really sad' exit

Daily Mirror

timean hour ago

  • Daily Mirror

Coronation Street actor says 'miss you so much' after star's 'really sad' exit

Sue Cleaver leaves Coronation Street as Eileen Grimshaw after more than 20 years on the ITV soap on Friday, and Todd Grimshaw actor Gareth Pierce has spoken out There's a heartbreaking exit for some on Coronation Street on Friday night, as Sue Cleaver's character Eileen Grimshaw bows out after more then 20 years. Eileen leaves the ITV soap, leaving behind her son Todd Grimshaw, as she moves away and starts a new life away from the Cobbles. Eileen debuted back in 2000, and 25 years on actress Sue has decided to pursue other opportunities. ‌ Speaking exclusively to The Mirror at the British Soap Awards, Todd actor Gareth Pierce shared he was "really sad" to see his co-star leave. While he said it may be a good thing onscreen for his character Todd to stand on his own two feet, on a personal level the actor is gutted about the departure. ‌ He explained: "I am really sad on a personal note. Sue is wonderful. It's wax lyrical how she made me feel instantly welcome, she made me feel respected instantly, even from the initial screen test. That mother son love was very natural to us." Gareth went on: "It is a testament to Sue and her generosity, I'll miss her so much as an actor. For Toss there's a sense of he's needed to grow up or a while. "He is still living at home with his mum. I think maybe he needs to see who he is without his mum there. They are so alike and both so stubborn. They love each other dearly and also bash into each other constantly, so it will be interesting to see how her absence and Todd being without her will play out on screen." Sue announced her exit from the show earlier this year, having told bosses she was quitting in 2024. She'd thought about it previosuly, but now she's ready to try new adventures and roles. Speaking about the exit, Sue revealed of her final scenes: "I said very much that I would like her to go off to pastures new, you know, to kind of mirror what I'm doing in a sense. And I just think it's time for a change. So it was perfect. ‌ "I'm so happy with the ending, and I was so humbled by it and the way it had been written and what it is. I felt very grateful to have such a wonderful ending written. It seemed very, very apt." As soon as she knew she was leaving, she wanted co-star Ryan Thomas, who plays son Jason, to be there for the episodes. She shared: "Ryan was there from the start, and he was inconveniently living in Thailand, and it wouldn't be too far of a jump to expect that if Eileen was going to make a leap, that she would involve her son. "And so when I decided to leave, like over a year ago, I rang Ryan, and I said, 'Ryan, I'm going to tell them that I'm going, and if they ask me about exits, I'd really like to say that you'd come back and take me out, but I don't know whether they'd go for it or not'. "And he just went, 'Oh my gosh, of course, I would', which was so lovely for me. And it was just so nice to have him back and filming those final scenes with him. It just felt like I'd come full circle really."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store