Victoria Beckham has been asked to decide whether to renew the trademark on her son Brooklyn's name, following more than a year of complete estrangement. Brooklyn, 27, has spent the last year distancing himself from his family, having now totally cut his siblings and parents out of his life.
Background of the Trademark
Victoria applied to own the rights to Brooklyn's name in 2016, when he was a teenager. The UK government's Intellectual Property Office (IPO) charges a £245 fee for an application to retain a trademark, and Victoria was written to in June. A source close to the Beckhams told The Sun: "The original application was just a formality. Brooklyn has had control of his trademark since he turned 18. The paperwork is renewed periodically but it was only ever in the name of his parents because it was taken out when he was a minor."
Estrangement and Family Tensions
Brooklyn has made it clear he has no intention of reconciling with his family. In a bombshell six-page Instagram rant in January, the hot sauce business owner wrote: "I do not want to reconcile with my family. I'm not being controlled, I'm standing up for myself for the first time in my life." He accused his parents of attempting to "force" him to sign away the rights to his name when he married wife Nicola Peltz in 2022. He stated: "Weeks before our big day, my parents repeatedly pressured and attempted to bribe me into signing away the rights to my name, which would have affected me, my wife, and our future children."
Brooklyn has also cut ties with his siblings: Romeo, 23, Cruz, 21, and Harper, 14. He instructed his parents to contact him only through his lawyers. Despite this, Sir David Beckham and Lady Victoria Beckham have ignored his demands. David recently declared that his family is his "proudest achievement" as he celebrated his wedding anniversary with Victoria.
Impact of the Trademark Renewal
Having an IPO trademark means anyone who tries to make money out of the brand or person's name can face legal action. The renewal decision is likely to cause further tension in the formerly close-knit family. The trademark was originally filed as a formality when Brooklyn was a minor, but now that he is an adult, the renewal process has brought the family rift back into the spotlight.
