In a surprising twist of social circles and simmering family drama, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle welcomed Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz to their Montecito mansion for a private dinner.
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The evening, held just before David Beckham's lavish 50th birthday celebrations, raised eyebrows not only for its timing but for the mingling of two couples seemingly united by shared experiences of high-profile family strife. However, in reality, the real context of their meeting was very different to what headlines suggest.
Dinner Invitation before the drama: Brooklyn and Nicola join the Sussexes
The dinner invitation to Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz came as a surprise to many. Held at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's Montecito home, the event was reportedly arranged before David Beckham's global birthday celebrations.
According to People, the timing was purely coincidental. A source confirmed:
Brooklyn and Nicola were invited prior to David’s numerous global birthday galas, so the timing is pure coincidence.
While David turned 50 with a string of glamorous parties, his son and daughter-in-law were notably absent. People reported that the young couple had been invited but chose not to attend, adding fuel to ongoing rumours of a strained relationship with David and Victoria.
It seems the Montecito dinner was an intimate yet star-studded affair. As reported by The Sun, around 18 guests were in attendance, including Paramount CEO Brian Robbins and his wife Tracy. Nicola was invited by another VIP close to both Harry and Meghan. Despite the media frenzy, the dinner was not organised in response to the Beckham family rift, but the coincidental timing certainly added intrigue.
Finding common ground: A night of shared stories and support
Though the dinner wasn’t planned as a therapy session, it reportedly evolved into something deeply personal. The Sun shared that the two couples ‘found a lot of common ground,’ bonding over their experiences with public scrutiny and family drama. A source told the publication:
This was an unexpected invite, but one gratefully received by Brooklyn and Nicola, who both feel pretty battle-wounded.
Harry and Meghan were very empathetic and very kind to them both. Harry was fully aware of the situation and offered Brooklyn his unwavering support as someone who has been through similar.
For Meghan and Nicola, the evening included what was described as a ‘deep and meaningful’ conversation. The source said:
Nicola and Meghan also had a bit of a ‘deep n’ meaningful’ as obviously both women have been positioned in the media as home-wreckers — the women to tear apart their husbands’ families.
Meghan had a lot of sympathy for her, and said there was shared common ground. They didn’t meet in relation to recent developments and headlines, but it was an honest but very welcome coincidence.
A source also told People:
Brooklyn and Nicola had a wonderful time and found Harry and Meghan to be particularly kind, caring and generous.
The couples even swapped contact information, though it remains unclear if they've stayed in touch. According to The Sun, Brooklyn hadn’t seen Harry since he was 13, making the reconnection all the more noteworthy.
Sussexes and Beckhams: From close friends to cold shoulders
The dinner also reignited discussions about the soured relationship between the Sussexes and the Beckhams. Once friendly, the two couples have reportedly drifted apart. Their friendship started warmly, with David and Victoria even attending Harry and Meghan’s 2018 wedding. They also offered their Beverly Hills home for the Sussexes to stay in during a transitional period.
However, as reported by The Mirror, tensions arose when Meghan allegedly suspected Victoria of leaking stories to the press. This led to what sources described as a ‘mortifying’ phone call between Harry and David.
Although the men agreed to move on, the incident cast a long shadow. A source said, as quoted in The Mirror:
Harry was very polite, but obviously it was a pretty awkward exchange and David was mortified. Inexplicably, [Meghan] feared Victoria was behind it — I mean, the idea that Victoria Beckham would be personally ringing journalists to give them a scoop is ridiculous — and spoke to Harry about it.
Harry is very protective of Meghan, and decided to deal with the matter head-on, by directly contacting his good pal, David. He quickly put Harry right, and the two men agreed to move on — but it certainly made things awkward for a while.
The Sun also reported that Harry allegedly snubbed David at the 2018 Invictus Games, an event where David had travelled to support Harry's cause. Following that, their interactions dwindled. Despite David publicly expressing pride in Harry's growth, he and Meghan were absent from significant Beckham family events, including Brooklyn’s high-profile wedding in 2022.
David remains close to Prince William and King Charles. In 2023, he was even named a King's Foundation ambassador. Meanwhile, Meghan and Harry remain estranged from the Royal Family, with Harry recently telling the BBC that King Charles 'won’t speak' to him amid ongoing cancer treatment.
Most recently, Princess Kate appeared to show sartorial support for Victoria Beckham by donning one of her designer suits at a British Fashion Council event. According to The Mirror, the outfit was not gifted, and its choice was interpreted as a gesture of solidarity, deepening the perceived divide.
Read more:
Brooklyn Beckham allegedly feuding with younger brother Romeo over his girlfriend: report
Beckham family feud: Nicola and Brooklyn’s issues with David and Victoria revealed by sources
Prince Harry claims King Charles 'won't speak to him': Friend of monarch says 'he can't'
Sources used:
People: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Host Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz at Montecito Dinner Party amid Family Drama
The Sun: Prince Harry & Meghan’s secret mansion summit with Brooklyn Beckham & Nicola Peltz to share trauma of toxic family feuds
Mirror: Prince Harry and Meghan's feud with Beckhams takes wild turn after Brooklyn decision
