Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s former close bond with David and Victoria Beckham has been thrust back into the spotlight after the celeb couple were invited to a state banquet at Buckingham Palace

Speculation has long been swirling about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s now seemingly frosty bond with David and Victoria Beckham.

And with the Beckhams being surprise guests as King Charles hosted a glittering state banquet during the Qatar state visit to the UK, one expert believes the move proves the showbiz couple’s friendship with the Sussexes is now over. Since rumours of a feud between the couples, David appears to have become even closer to Harry’s estranged royal relatives. In recent months, the ex-England football captain was named a King’s Foundation ambassador.

In photographs released to mark the announcement, David was pictured with the King on the doorstep of Highgrove, Charles’ Gloucestershire retreat, and shown trying out his carpentry skills with foundation students taking part in woodworking courses at the Snowdon School of Furniture. The pair also swapped beekeeping tips as both have hives.

David and Victoria at the state banquet for the Emir of Qatar at Buckingham Palace ( 
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PA)

Harry and Meghan are not believed to be as close to the Beckhams now ( 
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WireImage)
Meanwhile, just weeks ago, David also joined Harry’s estranged brother Prince William to unveil a brand new helicopter for the London Air Ambulance after a multi-million pound fundraising campaign.

And with the invitation to the state banquet, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams says it is a clear sign the Sussexes are no longer aligned with the Beckhams, which may have been caused by a ‘bizarre move’. He told MailOnline: “The Beckhams, then considered friends, attended the Sussexes’ wedding in 2018 along with Hollywood stars who were not, yet they were not invited to the wedding dinner which was a bizarre misstep.

“Yet Meghan, who had visited the Beckhams in California before her marriage, had worn clothes designed by Victoria to promote her label as far back as 2013 and Harry and David Beckham had been friendly before he met Meghan.

David with Prince William and Prince Harry in South Africa in 2010 ( 
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PA)
“We know the Sussexes did not appear at their son Brooklyn’s wedding. The likelihood is that the Sussexes, Meghan in particular, became jealous of a couple who are not only among the world’s genuine high achievers but also who are clearly strong supporters of the royal family, including William.”

At first, it seemed the Sussexes were on very friendly terms with the Beckhams and they were reportedly eager to make Meghan feel welcome in the UK. In fact, there were reports that Victoria had given Meghan access to her little black book of her favourite hairdressers and stylists in London.

But the first sign of tension came shortly after when reports about Victoria helping out Meghan were published – leaving the Sussexes upset. According to the Mail On Sunday, Harry confronted David with his suspicions in a phone call that left the ex-Manchester United star “furious”.

David has grown increasingly close to the King ( 
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PA)

Afterwards, the two couples seemed to put the ordeal behind them with David and Victoria at St George’s Chapel in Windsor to see Harry and Meghan get married in May 2018. Victoria wore a chic navy dress and hat while David looked smart in a morning suit. Several months later, the royal couple headed off on a tour of Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, which coincided with the 2018 Invictus Games that were being held in Sydney. Harry and a pregnant Meghan appeared at the opening ceremony of the Games.

Harry is said to have asked David to be an ambassador for the Invictus Games – but things reportedly turned sour when the prince refused to see the former England football captain at the event in Sydney in 2018. It was claimed that the reason Harry was keeping his friend at arms’ length was Meghan – as she feared Victoria was leaking stories about her to the press.

Meanwhile, more recently, there have been signs that all has not been right between the Sussexes and the Beckhams. In 2022, when David and Victoria’s eldest son Brooklyn married actress Nicola Peltz in a lavish wedding in Florida, Harry and Meghan were nowhere to be seen.

Similarly, last summer when David welcomed football superstar Lionel Messi to his Inter Miami team, a star-studded crowd were in attendance for his debut. Among them included Kim Kardashian, LeBron James and Serena William, a known BFF of Meghan, but again the Sussexes weren’t there.