‘You Are Very Sick!’: David Beckham Slammed for Kissing Harper on Lips — He & Wife Victoria Are ‘Affectionate’ Parents

Hollywood power couple David and Victoria Beckham have an enduring marriage that has survived its fair share of troubles, including rumors of infidelity.

The English natives have lived their lives in the spotlight for years before crossing paths. When they met in early 1997, at a charity football match, David was a professional football player for Manchester United, and Victoria was a member of the singing group Spice Girls.

During an interview on the podcast, “Desert Island Discs,” in 2017, the sportsman recalled the first time he saw the singer: “I remember seeing Victoria on the telly, and she was just in this black catsuit.”

David revealed his now-wife was never into football, although she attended the game at Manchester United’s player lounge at the time.

“I’d seen her the week before, and I must have caught her eye because the week after, she came to another game. She was obviously there for a reason, and I was hoping that I was the reason. And apparently, I was,” he explained.

“And I went into the player’s lounge. She’d had a couple of glasses of white wine at the time, and I saw my opportunity while she was slightly tipsy. And I spoke to her for 25 minutes, and I got her number, and it worked,” he continued.

Meanwhile, Victoria recounted her version of events in a letter she penned to her 18-year-old self, published in Vogue in January 2017. She remembered David standing alongside his family at the charity game and gushed: “And he has a cute smile.”

The brunette beauty mentioned she and her family are also tight-knit, which is what she and her now-husband have in common – therefore, she felt drawn to him at that point.

According to David, it was undoubtedly love at first sight for them as they started dating afterward. However, seeing how well-known they were, it was not easy to go out in public. Spice Girls manager at the time, Simon Fuller, cautioned the lovebirds about appearing in public together because he wanted to avoid the media getting wind of their newfound relationship,

Then 22, and Victoria, 23, the couple used to go on dates at a car park where they would sit, talk, and kiss. At the time, David rode a bright blue BMW and had spent a lot of money on it.

For their first date, he used the car to pick Victoria up, and he had sunburn then, and she was kind enough to bring her an aloe vera plant which he found sweet. David and Victoria went on those car park dates for the first two to three months before everyone else knew they were dating.

They got engaged a year later, in 1998, and announced the news at a press conference. “It’s lovely, it’s a surprise as well,” Victoria said of her engagement ring. They married on July 4, 1999, at Luttrellstown Castle near Dublin.

Several years later, David recalled his fondest memories of their low-key nuptials. The bride and groom had doves at their wedding and donned his and hers matching purple outfits, which David described as “bold.” He and Victoria renewed their wedding vows years later in an intimate ceremony attended by only six people at the couple’s marital home.

Victoria and David have now been married for 23 years, and when asked what they say to one another when looking back on their time together, especially as public figures. David said:

“I was always a private person. Obviously, Victoria’s world at the time, everything that they did was scrutinized, everything that they did was on the front pages, back pages, it didn’t matter where it was and all of a sudden, we were together.”

“So, there was an opportunity for the media to talk more about us or take pictures of us. I was part of the Manchester United team with Mr. Alex Ferguson. And at the time, I didn’t see it like that but obviously the manager felt that it was kind of a distraction for me. I could see the manager’s perspective on it looking back,” he added.

Meanwhile, as his wife, Victoria, said, marriage needs patience and support. She also stressed: “Preserve a bit of mystique. Never let yourself go completely. Always make time for each other. Because if you don’t, everything will revolve around the children, and I’m not sure how sexy that is! And don’t forget the person you fell in love with.”

Having been married for so long, David and Victoria’s marriage has been through the test of time. In May 2004, David sued a media publication that insinuated that he was portraying his union with the fashion designer as perfect, whereas things were not as rosy as they seemed.

The outlet claimed he and Victoria were still together for public image and financial reasons only. The case got settled out of court, and he expressed afterward:

“Nothing will break me and Victoria up.”

When asked why their marriage had been so successful and why they are still together, the football club owner explained: “I think because we’re a strong family unit. We’ve got strong parents, we were brought up with the right values, of course, you make mistakes over the years, and we all know marriage is difficult at times, and it’s about working for it.”

When he and Victoria hit rock bottom, they talk it through because they know each other well enough better than anyone else. David stated people have asked whether he and Victoria have stuck it out mainly because they are a brand, and he answered:

“Of course not, we stay together because we love each other. We stay together because we have four amazing children. [..] And when we do go through tough times, we work through them as a family, as a unit.”

One of those hard times included scandalous reports from two publications, News of the World and the Daily Mail, in April 2004 that suggested he had an affair with his former personal assistant.

David broke his silence a month later during a BBC Radio 5 Live interview and stated he had made it clear to the outlets that how he and his family had been treated was despicable.

News of the World broke the story of his alleged affair with Rebecca Loos and claimed he had another one with Malaysian-born model Sarah Marbeck. But the Beckhams dismissed both allegations.

How David & Victoria Show Their Kids Affection

Aside from putting out fires, David and Victoria are parents of four kids. They have three sons, Brooklyn, Romeo, and Cruz, and one daughter, Harper. The doting pair are not shy to publicly display their love for each other and their brood.

However, they have caught flak for showing affection to their kids in public, as there have been several online images where they have been seen kissing their children on the lips, and fans are not impressed.

In an Instagram post from January 2022, David posted two selfie shots of him and his daughter and captioned the post: “Daddy & Princess Leia had a lovely walk this morning. #HarperSeven.”

The first image showed the father and daughter duo posing while smiling, and the second showed them kissing. Fans blasted David in the comments section, and one person penned: “You are very sick.”

“It’s an unnormal thing, don’t kiss your daughter like that!” said another user. One other individual said in agreement, “It’s not normal!” Meanwhile, the fourth social media user stated: “[…] Stop kissing your daughter on the lips.”

It appears David does the same with his other kids. In a September 2021 post, he shared a throwback picture of him kissing his son Romeo in a birthday tribute.

Instagram users commented on the upload and made assumptions. “Gay,” wrote one person. Someone else shared the same sentiments, writing, “That’s a little gay.”

While this type of affection stuns other people, David and Victoria consider it normal because it is how they express their love for their offspring. Following criticism about him kissing his daughter, he defended himself, adding he kisses all his kids on their lips.

The father of four explained showing affection to his brood is a form of how he and their mother were raised and that they do the same with their children, adding:

“We want to show our kids love and we protect them, look after them, and support them, and were very affectionate with them.”

Although other people disapprove, some support the couple showing their children affection. One referenced David’s photo with her daughter and penned the duo was only having fun, and there was nothing to it, adding, “People can be so mean.”

Another user wrote, “Lovely,” and another fan agreed, “Beautiful picture.” “The love we feel for our children is indescribable. Wish all children got to feel that way,” said another.

Meanwhile, someone else revealed they are now in their late thirties and had always kissed their dad on the lips, adding they do the same with their daughter.

Victoria & David’s Upbringing Has Influenced Their Parenting

As mentioned before, David and his wife, Victoria, have similar upbringings. He was born in England on May 2, 1975, to Sandra Georgina (West), a hairdresser, and David Edward Alan Beckham, a kitchen fitter.

David’s maternal grandfather was Jewish, and he previously mentioned that religion had influenced his life. He has a tattoo written in Hebrew but does not practice Judaism or any other faith.

As a footballer, he always wore long sleeve shirts to cover up his tattoos to avoid offending anyone who may feel otherwise due to different beliefs.

David revealed in an October 2015 interview that his grandfather was very strict with him, and he wants to enforce that onto his kids too.

He and their mother are cautious about their social media and monitor them. David once disclosed that his eldest son (including his siblings) had to show them everything he wanted to post online beforehand. As a teenager, he had over 3 million followers, and it was important for his parents to shield him from online trolls.

The proud dad added he wants his brood to have manners and treat everyone with respect. His parents, who were big Manchester United supporters, taught him to be polite. David once shared his children started saying “thank you” and “please” from the age of two or three.

Although the megastar retired from football years ago, it was because his hard work had paid off, and he wishes that for his kids, too, as everyone in the Beckham household works hard. David gets that mentality from his parents and wants to pass it on to his sons and daughter.

He once divulged that when his son Brooklyn was 16 years old, he worked in a coffee shop in West London. The youngster had asked his father to buy shoes for him, and he suggested he get a job to buy them himself.

Meanwhile, David’s wife shares the same values as him. Victoria was born a year before him on April 17, 1974, in England to Jacqueline Doreen, an insurance clerk, and hairdresser, and Anthony Adams, an electronic engineer.

Growing up, she disliked being driven to school in her father’s Rolls-Royce (she comes from a wealthy family). She began her showbiz career as a dancer before becoming a Spice Girl.

As a parent today, Victoria prides herself in the role and adores her kids. “Being a mother is simply the greatest achievement of my life,” she once penned in a Letter from Moms published on Time in May 2015.

The television personality noted because her children lead a privileged life, she wants them to practice humility.

They have seen how hard she and their father worked to provide them with the life they have, so it is important to her that they know they need to do the same while being respectful and not taking anything for granted.

Victoria’s father has always encouraged her and her siblings to have ambitions, something she hopes to instill in her brood. She wishes she and David could inspire them enough to become the best version of themselves and dream big.

Family time is imperative in the Beckham household. Although the parents often travel because of work obligations and other commitments, they ensure they always make time for each other and their kids.

Though strict parents, David and Victoria teach their offspring gratitude. They always remind them of their privilege because few kids live like them. The parental duo also encourages their children to help others when they can.

David is a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF). In September 2015, he launched his initiative called the 7 Fund, which assists the most vulnerable children worldwide.

His beloved spouse has also been motivated to lend a helping hand. Victoria is also a Goodwill Ambassador for Jointed United Nations Programme HIV/AIDS.

In October 2016, she and the couple’s son Brooklyn visited Kenya to raise awareness about the plight of children living in poverty there.

The mother of four and her husband were also generous enough to pledge $1.2 million in March 2022 to help provide support to the children affected in Ukraine. An insider revealed the monies came from David and Victoria’s own pockets.

A month before the donation, David posted photos from the war-torn country showing children amid the devastation. He expressed it was disheartening to see them going through such unfavorable conditions. In the post, he urged those willing to help to check the link on his bio.

That said, Victoria and David have set an example for their kids. Being career-driven adults, they have found the balance between their professions, commitments, and family.