If there’s one thing we know about Victoria Beckham, it’s that she likes to be in control – especially when it comes to her family’s reputation.
Indeed, ever since the first seeds of Brand Beckham were planted over 25 years ago, the fashion designer has worked tirelessly to sculpt her and husband David’s public image into a model of aspirational perfection, inducting their four children into the family business and fostering a connection with their fans wherein – while it seems like they’re letting us all in – they’re actually keeping what’s important to them behind closed doors.
Needless to say, she’s well practised in the art of being famous.
But, sadly for the 49 year old, some things are beyond her control – and that is decidedly the case when it comes to the upcoming Discovery documentary, Peltz Beckham Vs The Wedding Planners. Released on 11 December, it delves behind the scenes of the vicious legal battle that was waged in the aftermath of their eldest son Brooklyn’s 2022 wedding to actress Nicola Peltz, painting a very unflattering portrait of the young couple and the world of their super-rich parents.
The documentary leaves no rock unturned, uncovering more than a few embarrassing secrets that Nicola – and, of course, her in-laws – would rather not have come to light. Months after the couple said “I do”, Nicola’s billionaire father, Nelson Peltz, filed a lawsuit against wedding planners Nicole Braghin and Arianna Grijalba, who – having been brought in just six weeks before the big day – were fired after nine days, with Nelson demanding he be repaid the $159k deposit. They then countersued, seeking damages and saying that, while they worked tirelessly, the Peltzes had “bullied” them and demanded too much.
Ultimately, the matter was settled before it went to court, but the documentary paints a picture of Nicola, 28, as a “spoilt” and “petty” bridezilla, whose entitled behaviour brought two hard-working women to their knees and “fed into the image you might have of the daughter of a billionaire businessman”.
For their part, the Beckhams had nothing to do with the lawsuit, and – as the documentary illustrates – had little to do with the planning of the nuptials. But their absence still casts a shadow over proceedings, as the pressure to impress her in-laws appears to galvanise Nicola’s outrageous demands.
Throughout all the chaos surrounding the $3million wedding, we learn it’s the guest list – and, specifically, the RSVP status of the Beckhams’ celebrity friends, including Gordon Ramsay, Serena Williams and Eva Longoria – that causes her and her mother, Claudia, the most concern. We even hear, in court documents, how “Claudia and Nicola had insisted that Victoria could not know about any internal mistakes regarding the ongoing planning of her son’s wedding, including any errors with the guest list”.
Needless to say, Victoria is beside herself at the implication. According to insiders, she believes the documentary could make her look like the phantom “mother-in-law from hell”, putting pressure on Nicola from afar, which – in turn – causes the latter to lash out. Now, we’re told, while VB is trying to keep a cool exterior, behind the scenes, she is fuming .
“Vic feels like she’s walking on eggshells,” says an insider close to the mum-of-four, who we’re told only sat down with Brooklyn and Nicola to discuss the full extent of the legal drama a few weeks ago, ahead of the documentary’s release. “She’s actually incredibly hurt, as it seems like her name has been dragged through the mud. She feels she’s been humiliated during all this wedding drama and been made out to be the wicked witch, so it’s a little galling that Nicola is being so nice to her now to assuage her guilt. There’s tension – everyone is steeling themselves for more drama and headlines.”
The timing of the doc is unfortunate, coming after an apparent reconciliation between Posh and Nicola. The two previously hit the headlines after rumours of a feud reportedly sparked by Nicola choosing to wear a wedding dress by Valentino, instead of one designed by VB – a topic that is brought up again in the documentary, much to Victoria’s horror.
In the past few months, it seemed that relations had thawed, as Vic and Nic cosied up on social media. Now, however, we’re told that Posh is reframing Nicola’s behaviour, and asking herself if it’s all just been a disingenuous attempt to build bridges before the documentary airs. After all, it’s Nicola who has the most to fear.
As one commentator puts it in Peltz Beckham Vs The Wedding Planners, “You’re seeing the quiet part said out loud”, before detailing the chaos that ensued in the lead-up to the big day. While Nicola’s incessant texts to her planners appear on screen, demanding live updates to the RSVP list and stressing out over her and Brooklyn’s matching, monogrammed pyjamas, we hear her described as “a very insecure individual”.
As for Brooklyn, 24, he is labelled “the ultimate nepo-baby”, roasted for his failed attempts at careers. “He’s a dilettante,” says another commentator. “He doesn’t need to work.”
For the Beckhams, seeing their eldest son attacked in such a public way is yet another blow, as they’ve always spoken about raising him and his siblings – Romeo, 21, Cruz, 18, and Harper, 12 – to be hardworking people. It may be Nicola who’s pegged as “spoilt”, but Brooklyn comes across as clueless – both riding the coattails of their more successful parents, and expecting the world.
Now, we’re told, the Beckhams are being “diplomatic” – doing their best to stay on better terms with Brooklyn and Nicola (who is pulling out all the stops to minimise the damage with her in-laws), while also “trying to protect Brooklyn and make sure there’s an open line of communication between them”.
As for the documentary, there’s not much they can do. This is, unfortunately, one story that’s not theirs to tell.