Victoria Beckham has spoken out about the challenges of family estrangement, following a public feud with her son Brooklyn. The former Spice Girl acknowledged the difficulty of navigating relationships with adult children in the modern era, where cutting ties has become more common and less stigmatised.
The Beckham family rift came to light in December when Victoria liked a video of Brooklyn's roast chicken on Instagram. Brooklyn, 25, reportedly blocked his mother and other family members, interpreting the gesture as a boundary violation. The incident highlighted the rise of terms like 'no contact' (NC) and 'very low contact' (VLC) among younger generations.
These terms stem from online communities where adult children share experiences of estrangement. While family alienation is not new, the codification of such decisions aims to remove guilt and stigma. Critics argue that the trend may encourage flippant estrangement, but supporters say it validates painful choices.
Data suggests estrangement affects 27% of Americans and 20% of British families. Half measures like 'grey rocking'—staying in touch while emotionally disengaging—offer alternatives. Brooklyn himself used Instagram stories to criticise his parents for their social media presence, a move some saw as ironic.
David Beckham commented cryptically that 'children are allowed to make mistakes', while Victoria emphasised the difficulty of such situations. The feud also involves Brooklyn's wife Nicola Peltz's family, with legal disputes between their wedding planners and Nicola's father, Nelson Peltz.
