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It’s been three decades since we last saw them guzzling beer and chasing women in Men Behaving Badly – now Martin Clunes and Neil Morrissey have been reunited for a travel series.

The pair, who played macho flatmates Gary and Tony in the hit BBC series, were in their thirties when they first joined the show alongside Leslie Ash and Caroline Quentin. Now, at the ripe age of 62, they are to make a buddy movie for comedy channel Gold in which Neil takes his pal around France, the country that’s become his second home.

In Neil and Martin’s Bon Voyage, hey will travel around Normandy, through the Alps and to Neil’s home and cider apple orchard in the South, taking in beautiful food, sweeping landscapes and fascinating local traditions. Along the way the two friends will reminisce about their professional and personal relationship spanning thirty years.

Martin Clunes and Neil Morrissey loved playing Gary and Tony on the hit comedy which ended in 1998 ( 
Image:
BBC)

Martin and Neil starred in Men Behaving Badly with Caroline Quentin and Leslie Ash playing their long-suffering girlfriends
Neil said: “It’s fantastic we have this golden opportunity to reunite so I can introduce my pal Martin to all the things I love so much about France, along with some Gallic treasures I’ve always wanted to see. I’ve fallen in love with this country, its glorious food, its delicious wine, and knowing Martin has an EU passport, I’m fairly certain he’ll be relocating here once I’ve finished with him.”

Martin agreed: “I’m really looking forward to all the sights, sounds, tastes, people and experiences Neil’s lined up for me in France. Most of all I’m looking forward to spending a great deal of time with my old mate Neil, who I‘ve grown to miss more than ever since he’s absconded to a country which he claims has the best scenery, food and wine on earth – is he right? I intend to find out by devouring the lot of it and seeing what I can remember afterwards.”

The series, described as “warm and nostalgic” will air next year. Creative director Ben Wicks, of Expectation said he was “elated” that the pair were back on the screen, adding: “Hats off to the wonderful people at Gold for backing a reunion as long overdue, and every bit as exciting as that of Noel and Liam, without resorting to dynamic pricing.”

EastEnders viewers were left predicting something big was on the way involving former character Carol Jackson, after a confusing comment.

David Wicks asked about his ex in the latest episode of the BBC soap during a chat with Bianca Jackson. But it was something he said to her on Monday that left viewers confused.

Some fans believed “something was brewing” and there was more to the remark, as others guessed Carol could finally be returning to the show. Bianca has recently been spiralling, struggling with her mental health which has caused her to act out and lash out.

Amid Kat Slater and Freddie Slater suspecting Bianca may have ADHD, her father David was called to Walford to help her. With everyone worried about her, Kat had reached out to Bianca’s ex-husband Ricky Butcher.

After Bianca shared her confusion at her father David being in Walford after so long, he revealed that he was contacted. According to David, Ricky called him after failing to get into contact with Bianca’s mum Carol.

So where is Carol and why didn’t she pick up? Has something happened to her? What’s weird is that it was only during a recent episode that Bianca seemed to be speaking to Carol.

EastEnders viewers are convinced something is going on with Carol Jackson after an odd claim by David Wicks ( 
Image:
BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
Viewers recalled this after David’s baffling remark, calling out an apparent mistake. Some believed there was more to it and that something was about to happen, while many fans also questioned if her return was imminent.

Taking to social media, one fan posted: “Carol isn’t replying?? Huh? Bianca was only on the phone to her last week.” Another said: “I still feel like something is brewing there.”

A third fan posted: “So many Carol Jackson mentions it’s foreshadowing trust (I’m overthinking it).” A fourth wrote: “That excuse about Carol not answering the phone doesn’t ring true to me seeing as Bianca literally called her last week.” A further comment read: “Why has Carol gone from speaking on the phone to Bianca to not answering any calls in the space of a few days?”

On Tuesday night, it was seemingly confirmed that David had not been in contact with Carol ever since they went their separate ways in 2014. David was shown asking daughter Bianca about Carol and how she was doing, to which Bianca told him she was better off for not having him in her life.

Photographer Anwar Husssein developed a unique relationship with the People’s Princess — and now he’s sharing the intimate stories behind his famous photos

Photo: courtesy Anwar Hussein

01of 13

Standing Apart

courtesy Anwar Hussein

Photographer Anwar Hussein snapped this photo of Diana in Australia in 1983 just moments after Charles had walked away. “She had a canny way of showing her mood whether she was happy or unhappy,” says the photographer.

A new photo exhibit, Princess Diana: Accredited Access, opens up Anwar’s remarkable archives to the public for the first time.

02of 13

Camera-Ready

Princess Diana. courtesy Anwar Hussein

“The story of Diana (in 1989) unfolded in front of us,” says Anwar. “You could see her go from Shy Di, looking down, to becoming stronger—which she had to do. She wanted to prove she was brave enough to do what she wanted.”

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Diana’s Surprise Chat

Princess Diana with Anwar Hussein. courtesy Anwar Hussein

The princess approached Anwar (pictured with Diana in 1985) during a flight in the mid-’90s. “All the lights were dimmed on the flight, and she came and whispered, ‘Can I have a chat?’ ” he recalls. “She knew that I was married to an English girl, Caroline. She wanted to know about Islam. She was asking about being married when one person is Muslim and another is Protestant. She was interested because of what she was going through with [her then-boyfriend] Dr. Hasnat Khan. She didn’t mention him, but she assumed I knew it. I think she was wondering how the family would react to him and things like that.”

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Fighting Her ‘Awkward’ Nerves to Pose at the Pyramids

courtesy Anwar Hussein

“The day before Diana was going to see the pyramids [in 1992] we [the press corp] were invited for drinks. And she said to me, ‘When people ask me to stand in front of places like the pyramids, I feel awkward, especially when I’m on my own.’ I said, ‘You could easily pretend to be one of the best models in the world.’ And she said, ‘I don’t like posing. But I will do it really quickly—and once—and you can grab the picture.’ She also said, ‘I won’t tell you when.’ So I kept concentrating, and if you can see in the picture, she is posing playfully, for only a second or two. That’s why it happened. You can see in the picture she is in that moment. It was like a ballerina with her foot half up. At another time, later, she said to me, ‘You did get it, didn’t you?’ I had instinct. You learn to read how something is going to happen and use your instinct.”

05of 13

On the Street

courtesy Anwar Hussein

“A couple of times when I was chatting with her, I would say, ‘I don’t like to be a paparazzi, but sometimes there is a news story that we have to cover—it is part of the recording of history,’ ” Anwar says of the photo taken in 1995 at Chelsea Harbour Club in London. “She said,
‘I understand you are doing your job.’ If you look at the picture, she is looking ahead and smiling. When I started photographing the royals, I wanted to show them as more human and casual—and she said she wanted that too. She wanted to break away from the rigid ways. She was a different girl here from Shy Di. She had become almost like a model in the world of fashion. She was very confident and much happier. I photographed her when she was very skinny [during her eating disorder struggles], and then she was going to the gym and looked healthy.”

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Her Powerful Touch

Courtesy Anwar Hussein

Diana (comforting a patient in Nepal in 1993) “could genuinely show her affection,” says Anwar. “It came naturally to her, but she also knew which pictures would go around the world.”

07of 13

When Pavarotti Performed

Luciano Pavarotti and Princess Diana. courtesy Anwar Hussein

“In 1991 Luciano Pavarotti performed in a charity concert in London’s Hyde Park,” says Anwar. “It was pouring down with rain. This was an outdoor concert, and everybody had their umbrellas up. It was hard for people to see, and it was difficult for Pavarotti to see his audience and get a connection with them too. The concert organizers begged everyone to close their umbrellas so they could enjoy the show. Diana was the first one to do so, very quickly. Then everybody else across the audience followed. And of course she got soaking wet. He then dedicated an aria to her. When the concert was over, she ran inside, where I took this picture, and strode up to Pavarotti and said, ‘Well done.’ Then putting her hand on her head, she said, ‘Do you like my new hairstyle?’ She was really confident by now. She was playing for the cameras a little. She knew what to do and what to wear. They went on to have a close friendship.”

08of 13

Diana’s Famous Taj Mahal Photo Almost Didn’t Happen

Princess Diana. courtesy Anwar Hussein

When Diana posed alone in front of the iconic Indian monument in February 1992, the image quickly came to reflect her isolation from husband Prince Charles. They would separate later that year. Historically, “the Taj Mahal exists as the eternal monument of a husband’s love,” notes Anwar.
just before he got engaged. He said to us then, ‘I’d like to bring my girlfriend or future wife here one day.’ When Diana and Charles were in India, he went to another meeting, and she came to the Taj Mahal on her own. We didn’t know if she would come. She kept us waiting for a long time. It was really, really hot there. She looked sad, and she knew which way the story would go. She was very clever. There were other pictures taken that day on another bench when she seemed to be contemplating things.”

09of 13

A Poignant Parallel—Nearly 25 Years Later

Kate Middleton and Prince William. courtesy Anwar Hussein

As it was when his father took his famous Taj Mahal photo, “the day was so hot” in 2016 when Zak snapped William and Kate during a visit to the same bench where Diana had cut such a lonely figure. “It was around 122 degrees, and we were waiting in the sun for about five hours. The press officer said it was going to be up to [William and Kate] to decide if they’d sit in the same place at the last minute. But they sat at the bench. I was shooting it knowing in the back of my mind I was taking a historic picture. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Dad is proud of the fact that I had photographed her son there in exactly the same situation. He’s pleased with the results of it because I didn’t mess it up. It means quite a lot to us as a family that we have two generations shooting two generations.”

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Pregnant Polo Fan

courtesy Anwar Hussein

Diana was in her ninth month of pregnancy with William when Anwar captured this photo of her at a polo match in May 1982. “She started the interest in the modern royal family,” he says.

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Meghan & Harry’s Magic Moment

courtesy Anwar Hussein

The award-winning shot of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in March 2020 would become one of their last appearances before stepping back as senior working royals. “There was huge anticipation when Harry and Meghan finally returned to London after being away in Canada,” says Anwar’s son Samir, who took the photo.
“I didn’t have high hopes, because it’s very tricky shooting in rain. There may have been a TV crew with a strong light for their cameras coming from behind them. I managed to maneuver down slightly so the light was directly behind them as my flash went off. It created this halo effect. They looked at each other for a split second—it’s maybe half a second. It was one of those moments you dream of.”

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Harry’s Tender Hug

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. courtesy Anwar Hussein

“We were in this small town where they’d had a two-year drought,” Anwar’s other son Zak remembers of the 2018 day Harry and Meghan visited Dubbo, Australia. “They were greeted as soon as they got off the plane. And then this little 5-year-old boy, Luke Vincent, who has Down syndrome, ran out from under the rope and hugged Harry. It happened really quickly—I’m glad I had a long lens, as we were stationed a long distance away and got it all with Meghan’s reaction. It very much shows how they are. They’d just announced their pregnancy, and they were showing their natural affinity. Fifteen minutes later it [started raining]. You had this prince and this duchess who landed in this small town, and suddenly it was like they brought on this rain, in this Biblical moment.”

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On Display

The new photo exhibit, “Princess Diana: Accredited Access,” opens up Anwar Hussein’s remarkable archives to the public. courtesy Anwar Hussein

The immersive new exhibit is designed as a “walk-through documentary,” says curator Cliff Skelliter, with 140 images taken by the Husseins.

“I really, really liked Diana, she was an amazing woman and a super-great inspiration,” the ‘Straight from the Heart’ singer said of the late princess

Kimberlee Speakman is a digital writer at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2022. Her work has previously appeared in Forbes and she has also worked in broadcast television as a reporter for Hawaii-based news station KHON2 News.

People Editorial Guidelines

Bryan Adams and Princess Diana. Photo: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty

Bryan Adams only has kind words “straight from the heart” when it comes to Princess Diana.

The singer, 64, showered the late princess with praise while discussing the beginnings of their close friendship in a new interview with The Sunday Times.

“We had a lot of really, really good conversations, I have to tell you. In fact it’s strange and surreal to think about,” he recalled to the outlet. “I really, really liked Diana, she was an amazing woman and a super-great inspiration.”

“Meeting her was truly one of the greatest things that ever happened to me,” he added.

Bryan Adams Denies He and Princess Diana Were Anything But Good Friends

He said he was introduced to the princess on an airplane after he co-wrote and released the song called “Diana” — which many believed was inspired by the princess’ 1981 marriage to Prince Charles.

Bryan Adams and Princess Diana.Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty

“I said, ‘I used your name on a song once,’ and Diana said, ‘Yes, I know, very funny. Actually I’d like to hear it again,’ ” he recalled. “So I sent a copy to Kensington Palace, got an invitation to tea back and that’s how we became friends.”

Their friendship grew over time, he said. “When I first went round to [Kensington Palace] she wasn’t, like, ‘I really need to talk to somebody,’ and you don’t bulldoze into someone’s life wanting to know everything in the first 10 minutes,” he continued. “It was, ‘Let’s have a cup of tea.’ But later, the more friendly we got the more I learnt what was really going on.”

Princess Diana’s Final Year: From Her Famous Landmine Walk to Summer in St. Tropez

Adams said the lyrics to “Diana” were “laddish humor,” and noted that the original inspiration behind the song was from “that guy who [had] broken into the Queen’s bedroom and sat on her bed smoking.” However, he noted that he “retired [the song] after Diana died out of respect to her and her boys.”

When the “All for Love” rocker was also asked if he tried to save Princess Diana from her fate, he responded, “Maybe, a bit.”

Adams previously denied rumors that he and Diana were “once romantically involved” on an episode of Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen in 2018, saying that he characterized his friendship with her as that of “great friends.”

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“Friends with benefits?” Cohen asked, to which Adams replied, “She was just… we were good friends.”

Adams sparked speculation that he had feelings for Princess Diana after he released “Diana.” The lyrics to the song spoke about a woman named Diana whom Adams called the “queen of all my dreams.” In the song, he professed his love for the woman and implied that her husband — never named — is not good enough for her while begging her to leave him.

Princess Diana married Prince Charles in 1981 wearing a stunning wedding gown designed by Elizabeth and David Emanuel

Photo: David Levenson/Getty

Princess Diana’s 1981 wedding gown is arguably one of the most iconic bridal looks of all time. When she married Prince Charles, Diana was only 20 years old and quickly became one of the world’s most publicized figures. In anticipation of the July 29 ceremony, fans and media outlets alike were wild with curiosity about what Diana would wear down the aisle.

Designers Elizabeth and David Emanuel were tasked with creating the royal wedding gown and took several precautions to keep the dress a secret prior to the nuptials. According to Royal Style in the Making exhibit curator Matthew Storey, the team put scraps of fabric that were not used on the actual dress in the garbage in case any members of the press went looking for clues. When July 29, 1981, finally arrived, Princess Diana arrived at St. Paul’s Cathedral wearing a voluminous ivory ball gown with a sparkling veil and record breaking 25-foot train.

Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty

In 2018, Elizabeth Emanuel, who now runs her own fashion line, told PEOPLE, “[Diana] was just lovely, really kind of easy going. We never had any special instructions about how to make the wedding dress. That added a bit to the fun of it all, made it bit of an adventure.”

From the gown to the accessories and a secret second look, here is a complete guide to Princess Diana’s wedding dress.

Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress

Princess Diana and Prince Charles. Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty

Designed by Elizabeth and David Emanuel, Diana’s gown was truly fit for a princess — and embodied plenty of bridal trends from the early 1980s. The silk taffeta dress was specially woven and dyed ivory and featured a ruffled collar, puffed sleeves, voluminous skirt and, perhaps most notable, a dramatic 25-foot train and 153-yard tulle veil.

The grand train broke records as the longest in royal wedding history. The length was suggested by David in response to the then-reigning length of 20 feet. “Halfway through, we realized, ‘We’re not going to finish this,’ ” he recalled to E! News. “Behind the scenes we’re thinking, ‘Maybe we’ve bitten off too much … keep sewing!’ “

However, the train was so long that it had to be “folded like a bedsheet” to fit inside the horse-drawn carriage that transported the bride to St. Paul’s Cathedral, resulting in wrinkles.

Ron Bull/Toronto Star

It was also rather cumbersome to carry: Prince Charles’ goddaughter India Hicks, who was in charge of guiding it down the aisle with the Queen’s niece Sarah Armstrong-Jones, recalled to Harper’s Bazaar that as Diana entered the cathedral, she told the girls, “Do your best.”

“We knew what that meant: If we pulled too much, straightening the material, her tiara and veil would slip,” Hicks said. “But if we didn’t pull enough, the effect of the train would be lost.”

The girls even practiced with a long dust cloth that they tied to Diana’s waist. “​​She stood patiently as we were shown how to fold and unfold the fabric so it would glide effortlessly behind her,” Hicks wrote.

In addition to including antique lace from Queen Mary as Princess Diana’s “something old,” the wedding dress also included a blue bow inside the bodice as the bride’s “something blue.” Diana put a hidden good luck charm on her dress, too: an 18-carat gold horseshoe trinket studded with white diamonds.

Princess Diana’s Wedding Accessories

Princess Diana and Prince Charles. Princess Diana Archive/Getty

Princess Diana wore the Spencer Tiara on her wedding day, a Spencer family heirloom. The garland-style crown features diamonds shaped into tulips and stars interspersed with continuous running scrolls and was originally gifted to Diana’s grandmother, Lady Cynthia Hamilton, on her wedding day in 1919.

In addition to the tiara and her sapphire engagement ring from Prince Charles, Diana also wore a pair of diamond earrings with a pear-shaped diamond at the center and 50 smaller ones surrounding it that belonged to her mother, Frances Shand Kydd, according to Express.

Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty

Her custom tulle veil was hand-stitched by Peggy Umpleby of embroidery S. Lock (now Hand & Lock). Umpleby was tasked with creating a special visual effect on Diana’s veil using 10,000 micro pearls. “I asked that the tiny mother of pearl sequins looked as if they were scattered on the tulle. As the sequins were almost transparent, only the sparkles of light would be visible, creating a fairy dust effect,” Elizabeth Emanuel told Vogue U.K. in 2021. “We used the same sequins on the gown itself, so that it would also sparkle as Diana walked down the aisle.”

Umpleby worked on the tulle piece from her own home. “In truth, she sat at her kitchen table embroidering for two solid weeks,” Hand & Lock in-house fashion historian Robert McCaffrey told the outlet. “The veil was completed, sent to the Emanuels and she returned to work, only to have her colleagues remark on how pale she was despite her two-week ‘holiday.’ “

Diana’s wedding shoes, which had a heart design on top and were covered in 542 sequins and 132 pearls, were created by cobbler Clive Shilton. “Her main concern was that she wouldn’t appear taller than Prince Charles, and because she was very tall — 5’10” — the shoes would have to have a low heel,” Shilton told the Daily Mail. The letters “C” and “D” with a heart positioned between them were also painted just below the heel.

Anwar Hussein/Getty

Finally, the bride carried a cascading bouquet of gardenias, stephanotis, odontoglossum orchid, lily of the valley, Earl Mountbatten roses, freesia, veronica, ivy, myrtle and tradescantia down the aisle.

Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress Secrets

Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty

Diana lost so much weight in the lead-up to her wedding that five different bodices reportedly had to be made for her gown. “Most brides do lose weight,” Elizabeth told PEOPLE. “So we weren’t that worried when she did. She ended up with a 23-inch waist from a 26- to 27- inch.”

According to Diana herself, who spoke about her rapid weight loss in Andrew Morton’s book Diana: Her True Story — in Her Own Words, it came on the heels of a comment about her figure by the groom. “The bulimia started the week after we got engaged (and would take nearly a decade to overcome),” she shared. “My husband [Prince Charles] put his hand on my waistline and said: ‘Oh, a bit chubby here, aren’t we?’ and that triggered off something in me.” Additionally, Diana said that she was contending with feelings about her husband’s ex, Camila Parker Bowles. “And the Camilla thing,” she added.

On the day of the wedding, Princess Diana also spilled perfume on her dress while applying her favorite scent, Quelques Fleurs by classic Parisian perfume house Houbigant, creating a stain. Her bridal makeup artist, Barbara Daly, told PEOPLE in 2018 that she instructed Diana to hold that spot on her dress as she was walking, making it look like she was merely holding up her skirt so as not to trip over it.

Princess Diana’s Alternate Wedding Dress

Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty

Emanuel shared that the team had constructed an alternate wedding dress for Princess Diana in case the dress design was leaked prior to the wedding. “At the time we wanted to make absolutely sure that the dress was a surprise,” the designer told PEOPLE. “Had the secret of the real dress got out it’s possible that Diana would actually have worn this one.”

The alternate dress, which was revealed for the first time in 2011, was also an ivory silk taffeta gown with the same ruffles around the neck as the original but without the signature lace. Luckily, the dress was never needed — and it was also never finished.

“We didn’t try it on Diana. We never even discussed it,” said Emanuel. “We wanted to make sure that we had something there; it was for our own peace of mind, really.”

In August 2023, Emanuel shared a never-before-seen photo of a woman working on the dress as it lay on a table.

While the designer was able to locate this rare picture, she says the actual gown is missing. “I don’t know where it went. It just disappeared,” she said.

Beckham used his brother Romeo’s longtime tattoo artist, London-based Certified Letter Boy, for the new ink

Kimberlee Speakman is a digital writer at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2022. Her work has previously appeared in Forbes and she has also worked in broadcast television as a reporter for Hawaii-based news station KHON2 News.

People Editorial Guidelines

Photo: Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty; Certified Letter Boy

Cruz Beckham has some new ink, seemingly in tribute to his mother, Victoria Beckham.

The youngest son of David and Victoria Beckham, who turned 18 in February of this year, got a special gift for himself to commemorate his mom — in the form of a special tattoo with her Spice Girls moniker.

London-based celebrity tattoo artist Pablo, who goes by Certified Letter Boy on social media, showed off the new tattoo on Cruz’s right arm in a series of black-and-white photos on Instagram. The first photo shows the tattoo that reads, “Posh,” an apparent nod to his mom’s nickname “Posh Spice,” in cursive letters right below his elbow.

A second photo shows Cruz making eye contact with the camera as he gets his arm tattooed, and a black-and-white video shows the whole process, zooming in on Cruz’s arm as the letters are being inked.

Cruz poses for a photo as he gets his tattoo done by tattoo artist Certified Letter Boy.Certified Letter Boy

David Beckham Treats Son Cruz to First Legal Beer on 18th Birthday: ‘Finally!’

“Posh @cruzbeckham 💫,” the tattoo artist captioned the Instagram carousel. “I think we all get the vibe here don’t we? 💥Thank you for the trust my g 🙏”

Cruz’s brother Romeo Beckham, 21, has been a long-time client of Certified Letter Boy and even got two tattoos from the popular tattoo artist, including one that read “freedom to dream” on his torso and “free spirit” on his hand.

This comes six months after proud parents Victoria, 49, and David, 48, celebrated Cruz’s birthday by sharing a slideshow of photos of him throughout the years, set to Beyoncé’s “Love on Top.”

Cruz Beckham and David Beckham attend the Dior Homme Menswear Fall-Winter 2023-2024 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on January 20, 2023 in Paris, France.Victor Boyko/Getty

Victoria Beckham and Kids Celebrate David Beckham on Father’s Day: ‘Our Everything’

“Happy 18th Birthday to our baby boy ❤️ to the most amazing boy with the most amazing energy and the biggest heart x we are so proud of you and we love you so much Cruzie ❤️,” David wrote.

Victoria also shared her own birthday wishes for her son at the same time by posting the same clip and writing, “Happy Birthday Cruzie!! We all love you so much and are so proud of the incredible young man you have become 🙏🏼 You are our everything. Happy 18th superstar ⭐️ 💫 🌟 ❤️.”

The proud mom also shared a photo of her husband and the birthday boy enjoying his first legal beer in the U.K., writing on top of the photo, “18 today!!!!!! Finally!!!!!! 😂”

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Cruz posted his own photo on Instagram in honor of his first pint, which showed him drinking a beer in a pub with his dad and big brother Romeo while wearing a New York Knicks cap.

Cruz captioned the photo, “Feels good to be 18.”

“I think he copied me,” David Beckham’s sister Joanne joked from her baby girl’s point of view, captioning a snap of Beckham gazing down at his new niece

It’s been almost seven years since David Beckham had a newborn of his own to fawn over, but luckily, his family’s got him covered.

The former professional soccer player looks completely enamored with his 7-week-old niece Peggy in a sweet photo shared by the baby’s mama: Beckham’s younger sister Joanne.

As Beckham gazes animatedly down at the adorable newborn, it’s impossible not to notice that the twosome are rocking similar hair styles.

“L O V E . M Y . U N C L E … as if me and uncle david have the same hair! I think he copied me 😂@davidbeckham ! ❤,” she captioned the too-cute snapshot.

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Four days after Peggy’s birth, the proud uncle shared a photo and video gallery to Instagram of himself posing with the adorable newborn.

“Welcome to the world little Peggy ❤ So proud of my little sis and congrats @krissydonners #Daddy such a beautiful family #proudUncle @joannebeckham,” Beckham wrote in the caption.

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 David Beckham Spends New Year’s Eve With His “Beautiful Boys” Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz

The father of four, 42, and wife Victoria Beckham regularly use social media to express their love for their own children: Harper Seven, 6½, Cruz David, 13 this month, Romeo James, 15, and Brooklyn Joseph, 18.

“The best daddy in the world x We Love u so so much 💕💕💕 💕 kisses,” the former Spice Girls member, 43, captioned a sweet January photo of her husband and daughter sharing a pasta noodle, Lady and the Tramp-style.

The former Manchester United soccer star has always had the support of his dad and mom

Sandra and Ted Beckham at the 2002 World Cup. ; David Beckham prior to the Manchester United ’99 Legends v FC Bayern Legends match in 2019. Photo: Dave Hogan/Getty ; Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty

The love of soccer runs deep in David Beckham’s veins, thanks to his parents, Ted Beckham and Sandra West.

His dad and mom were such fanatical supporters of the professional soccer club Manchester United that they frequently traveled 200 miles from their London home just to attend matches with their kids. The couple wed in 1969 and welcomed three children, including their son David and daughters Lynne Georgina and Joanne Louise. In 2002, Ted and Sandra got divorced after 33 years of marriage.

David has said that he bonded with his father over their mutual passion for soccer and Manchester United, for whom the U.K. superstar eventually went on to play. More significantly, Ted taught him how to play soccer from childhood, every night after work, to hone his skills.

“We’d started by kicking a ball about in the back garden, but I was murdering the flowerbeds so, after he got in from his job as a heating engineer, we’d go to the park together and just practise and practise for hours on end,” David wrote in his 2003 autobiography, David Beckham: My Side.

The former English soccer star, once the highest-paid player in the world, also credits his mother for his success. “My mum was the one that was driving me to training, to games when my dad was working,” he said in the Disney+ 2022 docuseries Save Our Squad with David Beckham. He later said, “I as a parent now, realize how much my parents gave up for me.”

David paid tribute to Sandra on her 75th birthday in June 2024, sharing a photo of her with all three of her kids taken during his childhood on Instagram.

“Happy Birthday Mum love you so much x The sun is shining and you deserve to have the best day ❤️ we love u so much ❤️ Lots of love your favorite child 😂,” he wrote.

From their personal careers to their constant support, here’s everything to know about David Beckham’s parents, Ted Beckham and Sandra West.

David credits his parents for his work ethic

Left to right: Sandra West, Ted Beckham and David Beckham.Netflix

Ted was an Essex heating engineer and appliance repairman who installed domestic boilers for a living, while Sandra worked as a hairstylist in nursing homes.

In an interview with The Father Hood, David spoke about their tireless work ethic, opening up about what it was like seeing them put in the effort for their family of five.

“When we were kids he used to go out to work at six o’clock in the morning and often come home at nine o’clock at night,” David said. “My mum was the same — she used to work during the day and then in the evenings, once my sisters and I were in bed, she’d do hairdressing until 12 o’clock at night.”

Ted and Sandra have three children

David Beckham’s parents, dad Ted Beckhamand Sandra West, with his sister Joanne Beckham at an event in February 2012.Richard Young/Shutterstock

Ted and Sandra first welcomed daughter Lynne in 1972, followed by David in 1975 and Joanne in 1982.

The former couple are also grandparents of eight. David shares four children — Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper — with his wife Victoria Beckham. Meanwhile, Lynne has three kids — Freddie, Georgina and Josh — with her ex-husband Colin Every. Joanne has a daughter, Peggy, with Big Brother U.K. participant Kris Donnelly, from whom she separated shortly after giving birth.

Ted and Sandra also have one great-granddaughter, who is the child of their granddaughter, Georgina, named Winter Rose.

They divorced in 2002

David Beckham and Ted Beckham.David Beckham Instagram

In his autobiography, David wrote about his parents’ relationship and noted that Ted loved Sandra, although he didn’t show affection toward her in front of him or his sisters.

“He’s quite hard-faced and can be sarcastic,” David wrote. “He also gets fired up easily … The quality I like least in myself is my short temper. I think I get it from my dad.”

Nearly two decades after Ted and Sandra divorced, David’s dad found love again. In December 2021, Ted married Hilary Meredith, a law professor and advocate, in London. The couple met through their charity work for military veterans at Broughton House Veteran Care Village and announced their engagement in March 2020.

David stood by his father’s side as his best man and later posted a photo on Instagram of himself fixing Ted’s tie right before the ceremony.

“Beautiful day celebrating my dad and Hillary’s wedding,” he captioned pictures of him and the newlyweds at the special event. “Amazing to be together with all the family. So proud to be there for my dad like he’s always been there for me. Love you dad.”

David wanted to win for Ted

Ted Beckham holds his son David Beckham.David Beckham Instagram

In the Save Our Squad docuseries, David said, “My dad was my inspiration, I wanted to win for him.” By the time David was a toddler, Ted was making balls out of rolled-up socks for him to kick.

“All the strengths in my game are the ones Dad taught me in the park 20 years ago,” David wrote in My Side. His father pushed him tirelessly until he was satisfied with his performance, but he revealed that it was all Ted wanted to do anyway. “I was lucky Dad was so willing to do it with me,” he shared.

When asked to recall his father’s best piece of advice in an interview with The Father Hood, David said it was to “never give up — no matter what.”

“If I got a kick in a game, I’d look over to him and he’d be like, ‘Get up! Get up! Don’t show people that you’re hurt!’ ” he continued. “There was a steeliness that he kind of instilled into me on that side. It actually made me stronger as a person.”

They were not initially supportive of David’s relationship with now-wife Victoria

David Beckham with his wife Victoria Beckham and parents, Sandra West and Ted Beckham, March 2019.Meg Oliphant/Getty

David’s mother has admitted that she was worried he would get sidetracked from his career at Manchester United when David began dating former Spice Girl Victoria in 1997.

In David’s four-part Netflix documentary, Beckham, directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Fisher Stevens, Sandra opened up about what it was like seeing their relationship begin.

“We were worried he would lose all that he worked for because football had always come first and then all of a sudden it wasn’t,” she said in a trailer.

Today, David and Victoria have been married for more than 20 years. For their 24th wedding anniversary in 2023, he dedicated a tribute to her on Instagram. “On this day 4.7.99 ❤️ 24 years and counting 👵🏼 👴🏼 To the best wife , mummy & drinking partner ( most of the time 🤪 ) Happy Anniversary love u so much ❤️,” he wrote.

Ted’s book caused a rift between him and David

Ted Beckham at the launch of The David Beckham Football Academy ; David Beckham at the 2023 U.S. Open Cup Final.Fred Duval/FilmMagic ; Hector Vivas/Getty

Ted wrote in his unauthorized 2005 book, David Beckham: My Son, that it was difficult for him and Sandra to cope with David’s fame.

“All the hype, all the stress, all the attention — it wasn’t a world we were used to and it was very tough. I don’t think we were really prepared for it — although I’m not sure there’s much you can do to prepare yourself,” he wrote, per The Mirror.

He added, “You just get swept along in it and bowled along. But it does wear you down.”

Ted’s relationship with David previously experienced hardship when the soccer star signed with the Spanish team Real Madrid in 2003. Ted reportedly disagreed with the transfer and was insulted that he heard the news through David’s manager, saying it hit him like a “sledgehammer,” according to The Sun.

After publicly accusing Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson of being behind the “betrayal,” Ted wasn’t invited to David’s signing. The father of three wrote that he feared he’d lost his son forever at the time.

David and Ted reunited after a health scare

Ted Beckham and David Beckham in December 2021.David Beckham Instagram

In September 2007, David reconciled with his father when Ted suffered a near-fatal heart attack and was rushed into surgery.

David immediately flew to his father’s bedside from the U.S., where he had just transferred to the L.A. Galaxy team. The traumatic incident was a wake-up call for the pair, who have remained close ever since. They talked about their bond in a short Father’s Day film for David’s whisky brand, Haig Club, in June 2019.

Reminiscing about his childhood, David shared, per The Sun, “The moment I got home from school, I’d turn around to you and say, ‘Let’s go to the park or let’s go out in the garden.’ And you never said no to me.”

He continued, “When you actually become a parent, it changes you in so many different ways,” to which Ted replied, “You just want to be with them. It does make you grow up and feel special.”

David’s father then added: “You’ve turned out exactly how I wanted you.”

During an in-depth interview, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, revealed that she has ‘really made an active effort’ to heal relations and find forgiveness for the Royal Family

When Meghan Markle married Prince Harry and officially became the Duchess of Sussex she was already established within public life, as a successful actress.

However, she has admitted since that she was not entirely prepared for how intense the spotlight the Royal Family lives within would be, and has been candid about the fact that she struggled with mental health issues and suicidal thoughts whilst a working royal. This led to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex realising that they needed to make a change and that operating as full-time, tax-payer-funded representatives of the crown wasn’t suitable for their young family. Whilst the couple initially hoped that they would be able to continue to be working royals on a part-time basis, the late Queen Elizabeth deemed this model impossible and they made a full break from the House of Windsor.

Since then, relations have been strained between the Sussexes and some of the other senior royals, with Meghan and Harry’s candour about the issues they faced inside the monarchy and allegations levied at Queen Camilla and Prince William amongst others reportedly becoming points of contention. However, in a wide-ranging interview, Meghan opened up about the importance of “forgiveness” and explained that she had made “an active effort” in this regard toward her royal in-laws.

Speaking to The Cut magazine in 2022, when she was promoting her podcast Archetypes, Meghan was asked if, despite everything that had gone on with the Windsors and her own family over the years, forgiveness was still possible. The Duchess replied “I think forgiveness is really important. It takes a lot more energy to not forgive…But it takes a lot of effort to forgive. I’ve really made an active effort, especially knowing that I can say anything”.

She also said that there were no practical blockages getting in the way of her voicing her opinions about her experiences: “It’s interesting, I’ve never had to sign anything that restricts me from talking…I can talk about my whole experience and make a choice not to,” and later in the interview noted, “I have a lot to say until I don’t. Do you like that? Sometimes, as they say, the silent part is still part of the song.” Elsewhere in the interview, Meghan revealed that she had packed up her UK home of Frogmore Cottage whilst visiting the country for the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, a weekend of celebration that coincided with Princess Lilibet’s first birthday.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly keen to spend the Christmas holidays with the Spencer family in the UK, but do you think they should? Vote in our poll below.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have received an invitation to spend Christmas with the Spencers (Image: Getty)

Christmas Day is only 11 weeks away and families around the world are already beginning to decide their festive and winter holiday plans – including the Royal Family.

According to a well-placed source, Express.co.uk has revealed this year Prince Harry is keen to spend the holidays in the United Kingdom with his wife, Meghan Markle, and their two children, Prince Archie, five and Princess Lilibet, three.

This comes as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex received an invitation to spend Christmas with Harry’s uncle, Charles Spencer at the family home in Althorp, Northamptonshire.

The source claimed: “Harry is keen for the Sussexes to spend time in the UK this Christmas with family. However, there are still concerns lingering over their security.

“Meghan has always shown a reluctance to travel to the United Kingdom and finds it quite a challenge with all that’s been going on.”

Our poll asks Express.co.uk readers ‘Should Prince Harry and Meghan Markle join the Spencer family for Christmas?’

Althorp has been home to the Spencer family for more than 500 years (Image: Getty)
If Meghan Markle were to attend, which is looking highly unlikely at this stage, it would be the first time the Duchess has properly set foot in the UK since the late Queen’s funeral in 2022.

Previously, Harry has previously expressed “genuine concerns” about Meghan Markle returning to the UK. He told ITV’s ‘Tabloids on Trial’ about his worries: “And whether it’s a knife or acid, these are things that are genuine concerns for me. It’s one of the reasons why I won’t bring my wife back to this country.”

The source adds that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have not yet received an invitation to join the Royal Family at their annual Sandringham gathering – and it’s not thought they would accept even if one was extended.

It comes as both the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were also absent at last year’s Royal Family Christmas gathering at Sandringham.

Prince Harry was last at Althorp House, the final resting place of his late mother, in August, after going to the memorial service for Diana’s brother-in-law, Lord Robert Fellowes.