Brooklyn Beckham has sparked fury with a World Cup advert that friends of his parents say has left David and Victoria 'devastated and inconsolable' – and one of the UK's leading PR experts warns the stunt could be the 'beginning of the end' for his own brand.
The 27‑year‑old chef posted an Instagram clip for DoorDash in which he appears at home, saying: 'You’re probably wondering why I’m watching the FIFA World Cup 2026 from home.' He then laughs and throws World Cup tickets onto a coffee table beside a stack of unopened letters, adding: 'It's a long story.'
“Brooklyn Beckham's World Cup advert hints at family rift, leaving parents 'devastated' and PR experts warning of brand damage.”
The apparent digs at his estranged family – the unopened letters hinting at a refusal to communicate – have landed just days after his sister Harper made a failed attempt to visit him at his Los Angeles mansion, only to discover he was not home.
One PR expert said the post would leave companies 'aghast' and all but end any chance of a reconciliation with David and Victoria. 'Exploitative' was the verdict from the industry insider, who warned that brands would now think twice before associating with Brooklyn.
Friends of the Beckhams described the couple as inconsolable. The feud has been simmering for years, with Brooklyn missing his parents' birthdays, his father's knighthood, and – most recently – the ceremony where David received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. At the time, a source told Metro: 'Brooklyn lives less than 20 minutes away from where the ceremony will be, but won’t be attending. It wouldn’t be the right time or place for a family reunion after everything that’s happened between them.'
Victoria Beckham has remained largely tight-lipped about the rift, but on the Aspire with Emma Grede podcast last month she said: 'I think that it's very different parenting adult children to parenting smaller children. I'm just trying to do the best that I can. It's my job to make sure that my kids are the best versions of themselves and that they feel fulfilled. I always encourage them to dream big and then dream even bigger.'
The advert, which mocks the estrangement in a public forum, has been widely condemned as a shameless attack on his own family. PR experts say the fallout could be irreversible – not just for family ties but for Brooklyn's career. 'This could be the beginning of the end for his brand,' one warned.