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Meghan Markle didn't help sell Victoria Beckham's clothing line or strengthen their relationship, says author

marca.com 2 days ago

New biography exposes strained relationship between Beckhams and Sussexes

Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle.
Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle.LAPRESSE

Victoria Beckham reportedly gifted Meghan Markle over $7,500 worth of clothes, but it had "nil" financial benefit, according to Tom Bower's new biography, "House of Beckham." Despite the Duchess of Sussex wearing Beckham's designs, sales didn't spike as expected.

Bower claims: "Victoria agreed to provide a coat, dress, boots, and a handbag worth $7,500 to Meghan for the Royal Family's traditional Christmas Day parade in Sandringham." Meghan also wore Beckham's custom-made pregnancy outfit and a white coat and dress for a service at Westminster Abbey.

Despite these high-profile appearances, Bower states: "The financial benefit was nil." There was, however, one exception. "The only success in 2019 was a $1,700 handbag that had been displayed by Meghan," Bower notes. He speculates that the sales boost was due more to Victoria's Instagram video than Meghan's endorsement.

Bower also explores the rumored rift between the Beckhams and the Sussexes. He alleges that Meghan was "irritated" by Victoria's greater wealth and felt she had "little in common" with the former Spice Girl.

According to Bower, Meghan believed her status in the royal family placed her above Victoria in social ranking. "She was irritated to discover that the Beckhams had considerably more wealth," Bower writes.

Inside the alleged Royal fashion rift

Victoria reportedly tried to befriend Meghan, leveraging her long-standing friendship with Prince Harry and Prince William. Meghan allegedly stayed at the Beckham residence in Beverly Hills to avoid paparazzi, and Beckham's staff secretly catered to her needs. Bower claims that a member of Victoria's staff advised Meghan on the best facials and hairdressing in London.

Although the Beckhams were invited to Harry and Meghan's 2018 royal wedding, they were not included in the wedding dinner, unlike other high-profile guests like George Clooney.

Tensions escalated when David invited Prince William and Kate to his son Brooklyn's wedding in spring 2022, but not Harry and Meghan. This event marked a significant crack in their friendship. The biography also recounts a "snub" at the 2018 Invictus Games in Australia.

David Beckham flew 22 hours from London at Prince Harry's request, only to find Harry had no plans to meet him. Bower suggests this distancing was due to Meghan's influence, aiming to avoid media competition with the Beckhams.

Since then, Meghan seemingly stopped wearing Victoria's designs, while Kate Middleton wore them more frequently. David Beckham's loyalty to the royal family appears to have paid off, as he was recently given a top charity ambassador role by King Charles, bonding over a shared passion for beekeeping.

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