David Beckham breaks silence after son Brooklyn's social media revelations: 'Children make mistakes'
A day after his son Brooklyn posted revelatory Instagram Stories about his family, David Beckham made some comments that seemed to indirectly touch on the subject.
As he appeared on CNBC's financial program Squawk Box on Jan. 20 to discuss the business of sports, among other things, Beckham, 50, talked about the dangers of social media, especially for children.
"I've always spoke about social media and the power of social media, you know, for the good and for the bad; the bad, we talked about what kids can access these days. It can be dangerous," Beckham said.
"But what I've found personally, especially with my kids, as well, use it for the right reasons," he added.
Beckham shares four children with fashion designer wife Victoria: Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz, and Harper.
A UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2005, Beckham acknowledged the convenience of social media, especially to spread awareness about important issues. But he also spoke about how indiscriminate use of the platform can sometimes cause mistakes.
"I've been able to use my platform and my following for UNICEF, and it's been the biggest tool to make people aware of what's going on around the world for children," he said.
"And I've tried to do the same with my children, to educate them," Beckham continued. "They make mistakes. Children are allowed to make mistakes. That's how they learn. So that's what I've tried to teach my kids. But you have to sometimes let them make those mistakes, as well."
Brooklyn Beckham's revelations
The day before, Brooklyn made several claims on Instagram Stories, narrating how his parents, David and fashion designer Victoria, allegedly controlled him for most of his life, and categorically stating reconciliation was not in the pipeline.
"I do not want to reconcile with my family. I'm not being controlled. I'm standing up for myself for the first time in my life," Brooklyn, 26, said.
He went on to claim that his family "values public promotion and endorsements above all else. Brand Beckham comes first."
The eldest Beckham son and his wife of four years Nicola Peltz have had a strained relationship with the rest of the Beckham family since before the couple's wedding in 2022, according to Brooklyn.
He claimed his parents pressured him to sign over the rights to his name before the wedding, his mother not only backed out of making Peltz's wedding dress at the last minute but also hijacked the couple's first dance, and the rest of his family was unwelcoming toward his bride.
Despite this, Brooklyn said he and his wife made several attempts to meet up with his family, with the most recent one at David's 50th birthday party last year. According to Brooklyn, when he was finally given the go-signal to meet with his family, it was under the condition that Peltz would not be present.
"I grew up with overwhelming anxiety. For the first time in my life, since stepping away from my family, that anxiety has disappeared. I wake up every morning grateful for the life I chose, and have found peace and relief," Brooklyn wrote.
Prior to making his bombshell social media posts, Brooklyn reportedly sent his parents a legal notice to course communications through his lawyers.
According to a report by The Sun, Brooklyn also instructed his parents to refrain from tagging him on social media. The report also mentioned that the eldest Beckham son blocked his parents on social media platforms after Victoria supposedly liked an Instagram post, which allegedly violated Brooklyn's "desist" letter.
Meanwhile, PEOPLE has reported about David and Victoria's continued efforts to reach out to their eldest son and his wife, always inviting them to private and public family events.
"David loves his kids. They are his everything," a source said.
Currently, Brooklyn and his wife do not follow any members of Brooklyn's immediate family on Instagram.
