Brooklyn Beckham, Victoria Beckham’s estranged son, has consistently requested that his mother refrain from interfering in his and his wife Nicole’s lives, suggesting she only reach out through legal representatives.

In response, Victoria Beckham chose to appear on the cover of the esteemed Wall Street Journal magazine, expressing her ‘heartache’ over the family tension, all while striking a somber pose.

During the shoot, she wore one of her signature double-breasted designer suits, each retailing for over £1,000, raising eyebrows over what could be seen as a blatant product promotion.

This begs the question: which part of Brooklyn’s plea for her not to ‘reference’ him or his wife, stating that it ‘triggers and causes distress,’ does Victoria not seem to understand?

Why project the image of a caring and troubled mother when she appears to disregard Brooklyn’s desires with this self-promoting appearance?

It seems she maneuvered around his request by not explicitly mentioning her 27-year-old son or her other children—fashion model Romeo, 23, aspiring musician Cruz, 21, and daughter Harper, 14—in the interview.

She says, tearfully: ‘All we have ever tried to do was protect our children and love our children.’

Victoria Beckham looks mournful and moody for a cover profile in the prestigious Wall Street Journal’s magazine, where she reveals her ‘heartache’ over the family rift

Jolly good. But is this the best way of going about it, given Brooklyn’s strictures?

When asked if she felt any guilt about raising her children in the spotlight – even the story of her pregnancy with Brooklyn was sold to OK! magazine and there were endless pictures of him in glossy magazines as a baby and toddler – she replied: ‘I think that we’ve always – we love our children so much – we’ve always tried to be the best parents that we can be.’

Adding, a touch too piously given that she could have refu subject if she wanted to mend bridges with Brooklyn: ‘And you know, that’s all I really want to say about it.’

Posh – who turned 52 yesterday – knows how to play the media. She could have insisted family questions were out of order. She could have stated questions should concern her fashion line – in which case we might have discovered how she can call it a success when it was besieged by multi-million pound debts and bailed out for years by her and husband David’s estimated £500million fortune before first turning a profit in 2022.

To talk about the family rift just four months after Brooklyn severed all links with his parents and asked them not to ‘reference’ him seems to me to be using it cynically to promote her brand.

How it must stick in the craw of Brooklyn and his wife Nicole. Surely Posh can see that.

The warning signs are all there – not least in Brooklyn’s furious Instagram post in January in which he raged: ‘My family values public promotion and endorsements above all else. Brand Beckham comes first.

Brooklyn Beckham, pictured with wife Nicola Peltz, posted on social media in January: ‘Brand Beckham comes first’

Has she no shame or, at least, self-awareness? writes AMANDA PLATELL (Victoria pictured at her documentary premiere in October last year)

‘Family “love” is decided by how much you post on social media, or how quickly you drop everything to show up and pose for a family photo op…’

Has she no shame or, at least, self-awareness?

It must be heartbreaking for Brooklyn that despite his parents’ promises to stay out of his and Nicole’s marriage, his mother has raised the whole family rift again.

The only conclusion I can come to is that it’s still Brand Beckham first, loving mum second.

Southport questions

The parents of Bebe, Alice and Elsie, murdered by the Southport killer in July 2024, demand officials who oversaw his case be held accountable.

The Times identified Dr Anthony Molyneux, the neurodevelopmental lead at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, who took over Axel Rudakubana’s care in 2022 and concluded he posed a ‘minimal’ risk to others before his discharge in 2024.

Molyneuz may still be in his job, but he will be haunted by the faces of those three little girls for ever.

‘Nasty Knoxy’ is monetising misery 

Amanda Knox, imprisoned for almost four years then acquitted after being accused of the murder of student Meredith Kercher, is in the UK for the first time for the premiere of her new film in which she returns to the murder scene in Italy just miles from where Meredith lived. Since the tragedy, ‘Foxy Knoxy’ has ruthlessly monetised it. She’s written her memoir, done a true crime podcast (Hard Knox) and joked about her murder conviction to paying audiences in the US.

Not so much Foxy as Nasty Knoxy.

Amanda Knox has written her memoir, done a true crime podcast (Hard Knox) and joked about her murder conviction to paying audiences in the US

Commemorating the anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster on April 15, 1989, a young boy and girl wore blue and red footy jumpers to mark the deaths of the 97 people who were lost as a result of that terrible day. And still Keir Starmer stalls on a Bill for which the families have begged for 37 years to hold police accountable for their behaviour. And they thought the then PM Margaret Thatcher was cruel.

Jeans genie Sweeney

All power to Sydney Sweeney as she reprises her American Eagle jeans ad, despite being accused in the first campaign of promoting a blonde-haired, blue-eyed eugenics stereotype.

What a welcome relief it is from her role as Cassie in HBO Max’s much-derided Euphoria season 3. This disgusting new series shows Cassie no longer as a sassy young woman but one who poses suggestively for OnlyFans while pretending to be a puppy.

Now, at least, we millions of real fans are getting back the denim-clad Sydney we know and love.

All power to Sydney Sweeney as she reprises her American Eagle jeans ad, writes PLATELL

During his faux royal visit to Australia, Prince Harry bleats on about his mental health, saying he never wanted the royal life as it ‘killed’ his mother. Soft lad. Princess Diana ceased being a working royal and was stripped of her HRH title after she and Charles divorced.

And it wasn’t being royal that killed Diana but a drunk driver speeding in a Parisian tunnel.

If Harry doesn’t want to be a ‘royal’, why not get rid of his and his wife’s Sussex titles? He can’t because it’s the only currency he and Megs have left.

Westminster wars 

Labour MP Samantha Niblett calls for Brits to have a ‘summer of sex’, saying she wants to introduce folk to ‘nice porn’ and bring sex toys (the most popular of which is still the Rabbit vibrator) into Parliament. All well and good, but possibly confusing for elderly MPs who might think they’re ordering a Welsh Rarebit for their leisurely lunch.

The Home Office boasts it has kept its promise after closing 11 of about 200 migrant hotels, the cost of which is £108million per month. Excellent – just 189 to go then.

As the age-defying Madonna prepares at 67 for the release of her 15th solo album – still looking as hot as ever – her latest squeeze, Akeem Morris, is the same age as her 29-year-old daughter.

After years of squiring fellas half her age, is she living proof you’re only as old as the man you feel?

Madonna’s latest squeeze, Akeem Morris, is the same age as her 29-year-old daughter

You can’t help but wonder why the diminutive F1 champion Lewis Hamilton, 41 and worth £385million, is so unlucky in love, having been linked to Nicole Scherzinger, Rihanna, Rita Ora and now Kim Kardashian – whose bottom is so large it would never squeeze into one of his racing car’s seats, let alone leave room for her bazooka bosoms. 

A frightening fact about Donald Trump. On December 1, as he was preparing his ‘two-day’ invasion of Iran, the President posted 158 posts on his Truth Social website from 9pm to midnight, a rate of nearly one per minute for three hours, all unchecked by officials. And this lunatic is the leader of the Free World? 

Fergie The Little Tell-tale?

After supposed sightings of the disgraced Sarah Ferguson across the world, she is finally discovered in a £2,000-a-night Alpine retreat. As she’s broke, how can she afford it? Please not with Neflix or a major publishing company giving her a massive advance on a tell-all memoir like Harry did. And will she call it The Budgie’s Revenge after her children’s books?

Happy news that full-time working mum Kate Garraway of Good Morning Britain and Smooth Radio, who nursed her late husband Derek Draper to the end after Covid, has hopefully found love again. I can’t think of any woman who deserves a break more.