New book about the Beckhams reveals early friction between Victoria Beckham and Meghan Markle

June 22, 2024

A new tell-all book about the Beckhams has just revealed one of the main reasons why Meghan Markle and Victoria Beckham have not spoken to each other since childhood.

Tensions between the two have been brewing since shortly after Markle’s wedding to Prince Harry in 2018. Posh and her husband David Beckham were invited to the ceremony but not to Markle and Harry’s exclusive wedding dinner, further fuelling the dispute. In June 2024, sources claimed their relationship had reached a point where it was “unsalvageable”. Markle reportedly tried to contact Beckham but was met with silence. A forthcoming celebrity tell-all book, The House of Beckham: Money, S— and Power by Tom Bower looks at the early friction between these two high-profile women.

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According to Bower, the initial tension began with the request for free items from Beckham’s fashion line. Markle allegedly wanted “free handbags from Victoria Beckham before she turned them down,” according to The Independent. Beckham provided Markle with a £6,000 coat, dress, boots and handbag to wear at the royal family’s traditional Christmas parade at Sandringham. Markle later wore bespoke maternity outfits and a white coat and dress designed by Beckham to a service at Westminster Abbey.

Despite efforts to leverage celebrity friendships for advertising, results have been disappointing. The only notable success in 2019 was a £1,400 handbag presented by Markle, which Bower attributes to Victoria’s Instagram promotion rather than Markle’s endorsement. It’s also worth noting that other celebrities such as Melania Trump have worn Victoria Beckham designs, complicating public perception of the brand due to Trump’s polarizing personality.

Bower also examines Meghan’s perceived hierarchy within the celebrity world, noting: “In Meghan’s celebrity world, rank depended on wealth and fame. As a seasoned businesswoman, Meghan imagined that her status in the royal family put her above Victoria in the social pecking order.”

The book doesn’t just focus on Markle and the former Spice Girl – it also makes claims about the Beckhams’ relationship, describing it as “purely business” and suggesting that they even leaked negative stories about themselves to the press.

Before you go, click here to find out which tell-all books reveal the royal family’s most important secrets.