Brooklyn Beckham snubs cousin's birthday as rift with Beckhams widens ahead of vow renewal
Beckham heir and Nicola Peltz largely absent from family milestones; Victoria posts tribute to Finlay James as tensions persist
Brooklyn Beckham, 26, did not publicly acknowledge his cousin Finlay James's birthday on social media, the latest sign of a widening rift with his parents and siblings. The influencer and wife Nicola Peltz have largely kept their distance from the Beckham family in recent months, skipping milestone celebrations such as David Beckham's 50th and Romeo Beckham's 23rd, and they were not part of the guest list when Brooklyn renewed his wedding vows with Nicola in New York on Aug. 2.
Victoria Beckham publicly acknowledged Finlay's birthday on Instagram, sharing a throwback image of him and writing a message of affection. Brooklyn's younger brothers also marked Finlay's day; Romeo posted a throwback photo with a short birthday line, and Cruz shared a dressy photo from a prior occasion with a 'Happy birthday' caption. Finlay, the son of Victoria's sister Louise, has a longtime bond with his aunt and uncle, with David once seen attending a rugby match in 2017.
A source told The Mirror that Brooklyn's silence about family milestones is damaging to the broader family dynamic, and that Victoria is distressed by the ongoing distance. The absence of the Beckhams at the August vow renewal — which drew a 200-strong guest list — underscored the rift, with the entire extended family, including Brooklyn's sister Harper, absent from the event. The Mirror reported that Brooklyn spoke from the heart during his ceremony, thanking Nicola and the Peltz family, and aiming to acknowledge all sides, though the public-facing rift among close relatives remains.
Observers describe the situation as a years-long drift rather than a single incident, noting that the family has missed multiple milestones this year and that the vow-renewal ceremony highlighted the distance within the inner circle. A separate source cited Victoria’s heartbreak behind closed doors and her concern that Brooklyn may not rejoin the family circle if the tensions persist.
Victoria has signaled openness to reconciliation, and her Netflix documentary project announced recently could provide a forum for broader reflections on family and public life. Brooklyn and Nicola’s life in the United States has been central to the ongoing strain, with family members publicly navigating complex dynamics amid the high-profile dynamics of the Beckham and Peltz households.