Brooklyn Beckham wedding claim is ‘hardly the truth’

Jacob Stolworthy and Charlotte Cripps, The Independent

Marc Anthony has addressed the Beckham family feud after claims he controversially invited Victoria to have the first dance at Brooklyn’s wedding to Nicola Peltz. Last month, Brooklyn shared an explosive online statement aimed at his parents — football icon David and former Spice Girl Victoria — accusing them of “trying endlessly to ruin” his relationship with Peltz, whom he married in 2022. It’s since been claimed by DJ Fat Tony, who was present at the wedding, that singer Anthony was the one who called Victoria to the stage in place of Peltz and referred to the former as “the most beautiful woman in the room”, inviting her to dance with the groom. DJ Tony claimed the remark “devastated” Brooklyn and sent Peltz out of the room in tears.

Brooklyn alleged that Victoria “hijacked” his first dance with his wife and “danced very inappropriately” on him in front of everyone. He added in his Instagram statement: “I’ve never felt more uncomfortable or humiliated in my entire life.” Speaking about the feud for the first time, Anthony said it’s “extremely unfortunate” how the situation has “played out”, but added that what has been claimed is “hardly the truth”.

“I have nothing to say about what's happening with the family,” he told The Hollywood Reporter.

“They’re a wonderful, wonderful family. I've known them since before the kids were born. I'm Godfather to Cruz. I'm really close to the family. But I have nothing to say about what happened there.”

DJ Tony backed up Brooklyn’s claims on This Morning, stating: “What it was, was — and why I said it was inappropriate as well — was because it was the timing. What happened was, basically, Marc Anthony was performing on stage, he then called Brooklyn onto stage. “Brooklyn went onto the stage, and the next minute everyone’s expecting it to be Nicola to go up and do the first dance, and then Marc asked for the most beautiful woman in the room to come to the stage — and then he says, ‘Victoria, come to the stage’. He added that Brooklyn was “literally devastated because he thought he was going to do his first dance with his wife, then Nicola leaves the room crying her eyes out”.

DJ Tony continued: “Brooklyn is stuck there on stage, and they do this dance, and Marc Anthony says ‘put your hands on your mother’s hips’ and it was a Latin thing, and the whole situation was really awkward for everyone in the room.” When Brooklyn confirmed long-running reports of a family feud, he said he did not want to reconcile with his parents, adding that he was “standing up” for himself “for the first time” in his life. Brooklyn’s father-in-law, billionaire investor Nelzon Peltz, recently commented on the furore, saying at WSJ Invest Live: “Has my family been in the press lately? I haven't noticed that at all.”

Nelson advised Brooklyn and Nicola to “stay the hell out of the press”, stating: “I'll tell you my daughter's great, my son-in-law Brooklyn is great, and I look forward to them having a long, happy marriage together.” Days after Brooklyn’s statement on 19 January, David and Victoria put on a united front at a fashion event during Haute Couture Fashion Week in Paris. While Brooklyn wasn’t in attendance, his three siblings, Romeo, Cruz, and Harper, appeared alongside their parents.

Brooklyn has made it crystal clear that he doesn’t want reconciliation with his once closely knit family, when last month, he detailed all the previously top secret family dysfunction in an explosive, six-page bombshell statement on Instagram. He accused his parents of only caring about “Brand Beckham” and their performative social media posts while trying to ruin his relationship with Peltz since before the wedding. He wanted us to know that it was all causing him overwhelming anxiety. It was time he moved on.

We got the message then and we’re getting it now, but it will take more than an episode of Tattoo Fixers to make it all go away. This is an inside job.