David Beckham made a mistake with his OBE while attending Prince William and Kate Middleton's 2011 wedding, according to Alison Boshoff's book Brand Beckham. The former England captain wore the honour on his right lapel instead of his left.
Beckham attended the Westminster Abbey ceremony in April 2011 alongside his wife Victoria, joining hundreds of high-profile guests as millions watched worldwide.
Wardrobe Error
"The first dividend came in 2011, when David and Victoria were invited to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey. David mistakenly wore his OBE on his right lapel rather than his left, but his morning suit was immaculate," the book states.
Victoria reportedly followed the dress code more successfully. She wore a navy outfit from her own fashion collection and finished the look with a distinctive hat.
Guest List and Impact
Other notable guests included Sir Elton John and David Furnish, former England rugby coach Sir Clive Woodward, Rowan Atkinson, Chelsy Davy, and filmmaker Guy Ritchie. Then-Prime Minister David Cameron attended with his wife Samantha, alongside Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and former Prime Minister Sir John Major.
Large crowds lined the procession route, with speakers allowing those outside the abbey to follow the ceremony. Hundreds of millions of people were estimated to have watched the wedding worldwide.
Beckham later reflected on the invitation, saying: "We had to pinch ourselves when we got the invite. I've become friends with Prince William and Harry as well. We was brought up to love the Royal Family and when Princess Di was around, the love for her was incredible. The Royal Wedding gave our country a huge lift."
Later Controversy
David and Victoria were also at the centre of controversy after accepting an invitation from Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor for daughter Harper's sixth birthday in 2017. The party was reportedly arranged after an invitation from Andrew's former wife, Sarah Ferguson. David later posted photographs from the celebrations, including images of Harper and her friends in the private quadrangle at Buckingham Palace.
Princess Eugenie was pictured alongside the children, who were dressed as princesses, while Victoria was away on fashion commitments. She later shared a photograph of Harper dressed as Princess Elsa from Frozen, writing: "Our little birthday princess x Kisses."
The posts attracted criticism from former Queen's press secretary Dickie Arbiter, who claimed the Beckhams had "no right to be there". He asked: "Is it [Buckingham Palace] being opened up as a theme park?" He added: "It devalues what the place is all about. Why do the Beckhams get special treatment?"
According to a Palace insider, the decision to publish the images was viewed as a "serious breach of protocol". The source claimed: "Prince Charles is apparently seismic with rage and this will only deepen his feud with Prince Andrew." They added: "Photos are absolutely not allowed in the Buckingham Palace quadrangle." The insider also alleged: "Prince William will not be amused."
David later appeared to clarify that Buckingham Palace had not been specially opened for Harper's birthday, following the criticism over the celebrations.
