Sir David Beckham made a last ditch attempt to build bridges with his estranged son by inviting him to his long-awaited investiture at Windsor Castle.
The former Manchester United and England footballer was finally made a knight of the realm by King Charles in October, but son Brooklyn and his actress wife Nicola Peltz were notably absent as he accepted the honour.
The occasion was the latest major family event missed by Brooklyn and Nicola over the course of the year, with the couple previously skipping Sir David’s milestone 50th birthday celebration and the red carpet launch of his mother’s new Netflix show.
Sir David’s three remaining children, his parents Ted and Sandra and fashion designer wife Lady Victoria were left to attend the Berkshire ceremony and its subsequent after-party, held at Gordon Ramsay’s Chelsea restaurant, without them.
But the retired midfielder is understood to have given Brooklyn an opportunity to join them at Windsor Castle, while also inviting Nicola to his late night dinner in west London.
However Brooklyn, 26, who lives in the United States with his actress wife, turned the opportunity down because he viewed it as an orchestrated PR opportunity, reports The Sun.
Sir David Beckham made a last ditch attempt to build bridges with his estranged son and daughter-in-law by inviting them to his long-awaited investiture at Windsor Castle
The retired midfielder is understood to have given Brooklyn an opportunity to join them at Windsor Castle, while also inviting Nicola to his late night dinner in west London
Nicola has since returned to Instagram with a handful of new posts as she celebrates her 31st birthday with Brooklyn and her family in Florida.
Taking to the social media platform on Friday, the actress shared home photos of her husband – who spends much of his time filming cooking tutorials for his own Instagram followers – preparing a meal.
Capturing the image, which also featured an obligatory bottle of Brooklyn’s Cloud 23 sauce, she wrote: ‘Nights like this.’
On Thursday, the Daily Mail revealed that relations between the Beckhams broke down so completely last summer that at one point, Brooklyn asked his parents to contact him only via his lawyers.
It was also claimed that despite his feud with his parents, he has been in regular contact with four family members – both sets of his grandparents.
Yet the Instagram cook did not respond to the reports when he took to social media shortly afterwards, instead uploading a video of himself cooking lobster mac and cheese.
Brooklyn appeared to be in good spirits as he demonstrated how to peel and boil a lobster before displaying it over a pot of macaroni.
He also plugged his Cloud 23 hot sauce by wearing one of the brand’s baseball caps in the video.
Guests including Sir David’s parents Ted and Sandra and fashion designer wife Lady Victoria were left to attend the Berkshire ceremony and its subsequent after-party without them
Nicola has since returned to Instagram with a handful of new posts as she celebrates her 31st birthday with Brooklyn and her family, including a photo of her husband in the kitchen
Brooklyn modelled a new pair of glasses as he uploaded a video cooking lobster mac and cheese after more details about his family feud emerged
Brooklyn’s wife Nicola Peltz also took to Instagram to share a snap of Brooklyn cooking for her in the kitchen.
The couple’s posts followed reports that Brooklyn has kept in regular contact with his grandparents – Victoria’s parents Tony and Jackie, and David’s parents Ted and Sandra.
A source told The Sun: ‘Brooklyn absolutely adores them, and knows how much pain this is causing everyone.
‘So he has reached out in his own time, but tried to keep it low-key so as not to drag them into it.
‘Brooklyn is navigating this soul-crushing family feud as best he can but it isn’t easy on anyone. Nicola remains his absolute rock.’
The Daily Mail has contacted Brooklyn’s representatives for comment.
It has also been revealed that he instructed his parents to only contact him through lawyers.
There was an exchange of legal letters between son and parents — or rather, between their respective legal teams at Schillings and Harbottle & Lewis.
On Thursday, the Daily Mail revealed that relations between the Beckhams broke down so completely last summer that at one point, Brooklyn asked his parents to contact him only via his lawyers (David and Victoria pictured in October)
Yet the aspiring chef, 26, did not respond to the reports when he took to social media shortly afterwards, instead uploading a video of himself cooking lobster mac and cheese
Brooklyn has, it has been claimed, kept in regular contact with his grandparents – Victoria’s parents Tony and Jackie, and David’s parents Ted and Sandra (Brooklyn and Nicola are pictured with Sandra at their engagement party)
Brooklyn said he didn’t want his parents to contact him, or make public statements about him on social media.
There was no legal action between them – and no legal basis for the letter, which was simply a request.
But it followed what Brooklyn considered to be a series of ‘nasty’ briefings about his wife Nicola, including the suggestion that he was a ‘hostage’ being ‘controlled’ by his wife.
This week, publicists and friends on both sides refused to discuss the matter, still hoping that things will calm down and be resolved.
However one source said: ‘David was told to speak to them via Schillings. That was the only way for them to communicate.’
The ‘talk to my lawyers’ move might explain why Brooklyn opted to block his parents – and siblings Romeo, Cruz and Harper – on social media just before Christmas.
The family had been viewing and liking his cooking posts. And it was felt this was contrary to Brooklyn’s wish they would leave him and his wife alone.
