David Beckham's Response

[GrooveArmada]

The family feud has had a number of dedicated threads already, this is not a repeat.

I want to focus on DB's today's response, available here: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jan/20/children-make-mistakes-david-beckham-brooklyn-post

"Children make mistakes" - I find it incredibly offensive and gaslighting. His son is a 26 year old adult man. A husband. He isn't talking about a 5 year old in Reception here.

I think his PR advised him to put children into his response to seemingly soften it, but I think he's very undermining to Brooklyn and this language smacks of being controlling.

AIBU?

I don’t suppose we’ll ever know the full story, but I can’t help wondering if Brooklyn would have been so ready to cut off his family if he hadn’t married someone very rich.

But this is all about Brooklyns statement, you've linked the two so you've got to expect people to talk about both.

There are two sides to every story and all families have their secrets but would Brooklyn have got to marry his wife without being a Beckham? Has the name opened doors closed to most of us for him? I was always my parent's child, what else would I be and I am a product of biology and society, so not sure the carefully composed script is achieving the desired result. Time will tell and they all live in the glare of social media, so if they want a different life there's an easy solution.

David Beckham made comments today that he knew or should have known would be interpreted in light of the recent events.

Nobody is 'framing' anything. David Beckham framed his own comments. Perhaps avoiding a UNICEF panel today would have been wiser, but he wanted that spotlight and he has it. We are permitted to discuss his comments in a forum.

It's a defensive response that dismisses what has been going on for Brooklyn. Prime example of a parent having no idea of their child's feelings, likely from many years of dismissing them. Total disconnect and it was his job and his wife's job to set the tone of the parent-child relationship. They obviously failed.

On the other hand, sometimes our children do silly things (not saying BB's doing is stupid, just that it's a thing his child has done) and we have to keep going with work and commitments. Hiding at home isn't an option and there's always going to be that 'first time showing your face since...' Might as well rip the band aid off.

But then he would have been letting people down and him not going would have also been made into a big deal.

I think there was no winning today either way.

What are you on about? He was born into this.

Would you say to a white person that the fact they have white parents opened doors for them? Are you saying to anyone that having been born in Europe and not the Congo has opened doors for them?

And you don't do silly things in the eye of anyone?

You’re astounded that people find it utterly wrong to expose your children online with no regard for their consent , making them part of a brand that they didn’t sign up for?

Whether Brooklyn Beckham is a bit of a prick (as you charmingly put it) or not, the fact is that the parents have thrust their children into the spotlight from birth. No respect for their right to privacy. It’s a disgraceful thing to do to children and it’s coming back to bite them big style

OK, valid comments. I still think if there was a day for DB/VB to avoid talking about children and social media, it was today. And yet...

I think DB gave the best response that was possible TBH. He was probably still getting his head round last nights post from his son . I do think that VB must be feeling very lonely today without husbands support.
Absolutely no one knows what has actually happened to cause this family rift but pretty heartbreaking for all involved!
Parents and children make mistakes . With the benefit of hindsight DB and VB probably should have kept their children away from the paparazzi!
I do think that BB has jumped out of the fire pan into the fire .

Yes, I thought it was ludicrously phrased. His “child” is 26 and the wife is 31. These aren’t teenagers we’re talking about.

Reminds me of how the media insist of calling Meghan and Harry “the young couple” when they’re in their 40s!

This

That is a common refrain actually, not sure that is the right example to use

If aimed at his son - totally patronising.

Not in recent times, no, I haven't. When I was younger though, I'm sure.

Way to miss my point though.

Didn't this royal arselicker try to charge Unicef for business class flights?

Ironic that he's citing his work for them in a family dispute.

Ah, you are probably one of those parents. My arse.

This! It’s not a “response” to Brooklyn’s statement.
This from David today has been taken out of context!

Living up to your username? This is a response to something a child has done, not what a parent has done. That's the other threads where BB's post is discussed...

Out of context or curated and timed?

Maybe, but I'm sure DB is smart enough to know the two would be linked in people's minds.

So it's a yes then. I knew it.

I thought that too!