A week on, and the dust still hasn't settled following the bombshell remarks from Brooklyn Peltz Beckham about his relationship with his famous family and his wife, Nicola.
The 26-year-old founder of hot sauce brand Cloud23 shared his version of events on his Instagram Story on 19 January and explained what he felt was the cause of the ongoing feud between himself and his parents, Victoria, 51, and David, 50. Tensions between the entrepreneur and his family may also explain the choice of name for his brand that is unrelated to the Beckham moniker.
Buried amongst other accusations, including suggestions that his ex-Spice Girl mother, Victoria, danced inappropriately with him at his wedding, Brooklyn touched on his namesake and claimed he was encouraged by his parents to sign away his "rights". It is likely the couple registered their children's names years ago as a protective measure.
While the fallout continues and the rest of his siblings enjoy Paris Fashion Week with their parents, we asked an expert to delve into what a court dispute over legal rights to the Beckham name would look like - and what it would mean for Brooklyn's future.
© Samir Hussein/WireImageWhat did Brooklyn say about his name?
In his revelations that centred around how he has been treated by his family ever since his marriage to the American billionaire heiress, Nicola, 31, in 2022, Brooklyn added a sentence that carried some heavy accusations.
About halfway through his statement, the budding chef claimed: "My parents have been trying endlessly to ruin my relationship since before my wedding, and it hasn't stopped. My mum cancelled making Nicola's dress in the eleventh hour despite how excited she was to wear her design, forcing her to urgently find a new dress.
"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.
"They were adamant on me signing before my wedding date because then the terms of the deal would be initiated. My holdout affected the payday, and they have never treated me the same since."
The reality of a trademark court case
Based on Brooklyn's claims, speculation has suggested the oldest Beckham child may be considering taking his parents to court over his legal rights to his surname. But what would that mean, and what would actually happen if he did?
Simarjot Singh Judge, solicitor and founder of Judge Law, specialising in family law for over a decade, told HELLO! : "A trademark dispute wouldn’t be about whether Brooklyn is 'allowed' to use his own name in everyday life. It would be about who controls the commercial use of that name - particularly for branding, endorsements and business activity."
He continued explaining: "Trademark law doesn’t deal with family relationships or identity. It deals with ownership, registration and commercial rights, which can sometimes feel counterintuitive to the public.
"If this ever reached court, it would be a very technical, document-heavy process rather than a dramatic courtroom showdown."
The expert outlined how a situation like this would play out during the case: "The focus would be on who registered the trademarks, what agreements exist, how the name has been used commercially, and whether there were any promises or expectations around that use.
"Most trademark disputes never actually reach trial. They are expensive, slow and unpredictable, especially when reputations and family dynamics are involved."
© Dave Benett/Getty Images for HugDoes Brooklyn have a case?
According to the expert, the long and short of it is, it just depends. Simarjot highlighted: "Brooklyn could potentially challenge aspects of trademark control, but everything would depend on the paperwork."
He added: "If he can show that trademarks are restricting his ability to trade or build his own commercial identity, or that there were understandings that weren’t honoured, that could form the basis of a legal argument.
"However, trademark law generally favours whoever holds the registered rights unless there is clear evidence to challenge them."
He warned that taking this action could lead to a path of no return, though, as details about the dispute would be made readily accessible to the public.
"Once disputes like this become legal and public, they are very difficult to reverse," the lawyer said. He continued: "Trademark cases involving family names often escalate quickly because they mix law, emotion and identity, which can make resolution harder rather than easier.
"A legal win doesn’t always translate into a reputational win. These cases can become PR nightmares very quickly."
© AFP via Getty ImagesThe most likely outcome
While, as of yet, there have been no official moves made by Brooklyn to begin legal proceedings in terms of his namesake, we asked the legal expert to walk us through what might happen if the argument was escalated to this degree.
He explained: "The most realistic outcome is renegotiation rather than a courtroom verdict. That could mean revised agreements, shared control, or clearer boundaries around how the name can be used commercially.
"Court is usually the last resort. The legal process itself can be more damaging than the dispute. When a name becomes a brand, it stops being purely personal. That’s why disputes like this are so complex - and why they’re rarely just about money, even though money is always part of the picture."
