STILL STANDING
David Beckham’s comment that marriage is hard work apparently had Posh in floods of tears – but, as always, the couple are putting on a united front
ABILLION-dollar brand, commitments that require them to travel all over the world, multiple properties, four kids and a marriage that’s under constant public scrutiny. It’s certainly complicated. Retired footballer David Beckham (43) recently admitted as much while discussing his 21year relationship with wife Victoria (44) in a no-holds-barred interview on Australian TV. “I think marriage is always about hard work,” he told journalist Lisa Wilkinson. “It’s complicated. To have been married for the amount of time we have, it’s always hard work, everybody knows that. But you make it work, you make difficult situations like travelling away, being away from each other . . . You make it work.”
I think marriage is always about hard work. It’s complicated
Cue rumour mill overdrive. Becks may have been his smiling, handsome, charming self but it was those two words that sent gossip bubbling up and spilling over – “it’s complicated”.
The TV show came hot on the heels of something else gossips are taking as a sign there’s trouble in Beckham Land: Posh’s shoot with British Vogue magazine. She and the kids feature on the cover of the fashion bible. But where was David?
Wilkinson asked him as much. “We did a separate picture for another cover,” he said vaguely before moving on swiftly.
Posh, if some celebrity sites are to be believed, was gutted and felt betrayed by David’s interview. “She was in pieces,” one friend said. “You can imagine; it was as if a nuclear bomb had gone off in the Beckham household when she found out.
“She has no idea why he’d say such insensitive things and publicly embarrass her like this.”
The fashion designer is said to have cried for two days before taking herself off to a luxurious spa in Germany – where she posted a selfie enjoying a bike ride, praising the amazing experience.
Becks’ interview, which he did ahead of his stint as ambassador for the Invictus Games in Australia, included lots of praise for his wife too.
“The amount she’s achieved in such a short space of time . . . four beautiful young children, you know, and we have a beautiful dog.”
He also admitted he was a softie when it came to daughter Harper (7), and is more lenient towards her than he is towards sons Brooklyn (19), Romeo (16) and Cruz (13).
“To be honest, the boys rib me about it all the time. Victoria ribs me about it all the time.”
The interview pretty much sums up the Beckhams: up and down. Rumours of a split have plagued them almost from day one but David said he’s “grown to kind of ignore some of the negative stuff that’s said”.
There’s been much speculation that the reason they’re still together is because Brand Beckham works better that way – and this theory is supported by something Victoria told Vogue. “We’re much stronger than we would be if we’re individuals. Would either of us be in the position we’re in now had we not met and been together all these years?”
We take a look at the rollercoaster ride that’s characterised their relationship.