Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's life is in the spotlight once again with the release of Tom Bower's new book, Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War Between the Windsors. There, the author claimed that the couple is "addicted" to reading about themselves in the media but is worried that their "secrets" might get out through their celebrity friends or the former actress' estranged confidantes.
Bower also alleged that it's why the pair clashed with the longtime married couple, Victoria and David Beckham. Here's what really happened between them.
How Did Meghan Markle & Prince Harry Meet Victoria & David Beckham?
Posh Spice and The Duchess of Sussex were initially introduced to each other by their husbands. But they ultimately bonded over their shared facialist, Sarah Chapman, as well as their love for fashion. "They get along well and have been in touch recently," a source told Vanity Fair in February 2018. "Meghan really likes Victoria's style and was keen to pick her brains about pulling together a working wardrobe. She loves Victoria's elegant but smart dresses, so expect her to wear one very soon."
Their friendship was made official when the Beckhams attended Harry and Meghan's star-studded wedding in April 2018. In September 2019, Victoria expressed her support for Meghan's empowering speech at the Fashion Awards in December 2018. "I liked what Meghan Markle said at the Fashion Awards," said the former Spice Girl, "that it used to be cool to be cruel, and now it's cool to be kind. Kindness has always been at the core of girl power."
How Meghan Markle 'Ruined' Prince Harry's Friendship With David & Victoria Beckham
In the book, Bower wrote that Megan "suspected Victoria Beckham of indiscretion," adding that "Harry called David Beckham to repeat the accusation. Outraged, Beckham's truthful denials damaged their relationship."
According to Us Weekly, they reached out to reps of both couples but didn't get any comment. It would seem like the foursome isn't on speaking terms these days. But in July 2022, Grazia reported that though Megan and Victoria don't speak on the phone every day, sources said "that they are very fond of each other and are in contact."
Earlier this year, fans thought it was shady that the Beckhams didn't invite Megan and Harry to their son, Brooklyn's wedding to actress Nicola Peltz. However, an insider revealed in April 2022 that the pair was "agonized" over which royal couple to invite to the ceremony. "David and Victoria wrote to William and Kate inviting them and the family to their son's wedding, and William replied wishing them a great deal of joy but they are unable to attend," the source told the Mirror.
They added that David has more history with William and Kate than with Meghan and Harry. "David's attachment and history go back with William and Kate and they have a very strong relationship and they were their choice of wedding guests," the insider continued. "It was always about them, it was never about Meghan and Harry. They are the people David and Victoria are attached to and it's always been about them because they've had a long history together."
Meghan & Harry's 'Addiction' To Negative Press Ended Their Friendship With The Beckhams
"Harry and Meghan were shackled. Every night they scoured the internet to read the newspaper reports and the trolls' postings on social media," Bower wrote in the tell-all. "Irrationally, they grouped the two together and fed each other's frenzy about the media. Convinced that as champions of goodness they were being persecuted by mendacity and racism, they felt victimized by the mildest criticism." According to the author, that put a strain in the couple's friendship with the Beckhams.
"Harry's instability fed Meghan's fears that friends were leaking stories to the media," Bower continued. In 2020, a mutual friend of the couples said that even though "the two men agreed to move on," the incident still left things "awkward" between the four. There were also reports that Harry and David recently had an "awkward encounter" at Buckingham Palace during Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee.