He’s part of one of the most famous – and seemingly most solid – power couples in the world, but insiders say Victoria Beckham may have to spend the summer apart from husband of 23 years, David.
Victoria – whose social media is littered with photos and gushing captions about David and their children, including ones of eldest son’s Brooklyn’s wedding earlier this year and sweet days out with daughter Harper, 10 – is renowned for her tight family unit.
But sources say David, 47 – who also shares sons Romeo, 19, and Cruz, 17, with Victoria – is feeling the strain after a heavy few months and is keen to get away on a motorbiking trip with his friends to relax.
A source says, “David has got some downtime in his busy schedule and he’s desperate to spend some of that hanging out with mates to unwind a bit. He’s spent a lot of time working recently and now he wants a break – but Vic is taking the idea a bit personally. He’s set his sights on going on another motorbiking expedition, this time around the Himalayas, but Vic feels that not only does it sound dangerous, she’s also been left wondering when they’ll have some alone time.
“Looking at their schedule and what’s left of the year, she’s realised that they’re going to be split apart for most of the summer, and she’s quite sad about that. She doesn’t want to be alone with the kids and worries about David on a risky motorbiking adventure – especially as he’s getting older. She’s putting her foot down as much as she can but she’s worried that David is just going to go off anyway.”
David – who’ll also be away from his family in Qatar during the winter as part of his £150m ambassadorship deal for the FIFA World Cup starting in November – documented his love of motorcycling in the 2014 documentary Into The Unknown, where he biked through the Amazon rainforest with his best friends, Derek White and football agent Dave Gardner.
But while Victoria is usually very supportive of his ventures, she can’t help feel disgruntled at spending so much time apart.
She’s had a difficult time recently amid reports that Brooklyn’s wife Nicola Peltz has been clashing with Romeo’s girlfriend Mia Regan. And last week it emerged tensions were high between her and fellow fashion designer Stella McCartney after Victoria poached yet another one of her staff members to work for her company, reportedly leaving the two “locked in rivalry”.
And an insider says that, while Victoria could really do with the support right now, David looks set to get away for a few weeks, saying, “David is desperate to go, and has said it will be partly for work as well as he’ll take a camera crew for some sponsored content. He’s been going on about all the views and feels like he’d love a break away right now.
“Vic doesn’t understand why it’s so hard for her and David to plan stuff together and has tried to tell him that it’s what most married couples do – but he reminds her that they’re not most married couples and they should be leaning into their unique lifestyle more and enjoying it.”
The pair have weathered a few storms during their two decades of marriage. In 2004, he was forced to deny an affair with his former PA, Rebecca Loos. And four years ago – around the time David was constantly papped partying with the likes of Poppy Delevingne, Mary Charteris and Rita Ora – rumours of an impending divorce reached fever pitch, despite their spokesperson calling the reports “laughable”.
Six months later, David seemed to address the reports, and candidly told an interviewer, “To have been married for the amount of time that we have, it’s always hard work. It becomes a little more complicated. I feel like I’m doing OK but it’s a struggle.”
Around the same time, Victoria added, “We both realise that we are stronger together than we are as individuals. Would either of us be in the position we are in now had we not met and been together all those years ago? It’s all about the family unit.”
The source adds, “Vic is still totally of the mindset that they’re better together, and when they start spending time apart, rumours can swirl and they can drift. If he won’t back down, and if he goes on this trip, she’s hoping he’ll get it out of his system and they can spend more time together romantically and as a family, as she knows that is when they’re at their strongest – both as people and as a brand.”