Blog

PRINCE William finds “solace” in brother-in-law James Middleton following his relationship with brother Prince Harry becoming “fractured”, according to an expert.

The Prince of Wales, 42, is said to have a “strong bond” with wife Kate’s brother, 37, and sees himself as part of the Middleton family.

Your info will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy

8

Prince William and brother-in-law James Middleton are said to have a close relationshipCredit: AP:Associated Press

8

Currently Prince William and Prince Harry are said to have a ‘fractious’ bondCredit: AFP

8

Brother James Middleton tribute to sister Kate with this sweet childhood photo following her cancer diagnosisCredit: Instagram
Royal biographer Claudia Joseph told Fabulous: “I imagine that William finds it a huge solace that he is so close to the Middleton family as his relationship with his own brother Harry has become so fractured.

“From the moment that he began dating Kate at St Andrews University, he fell in love with her close family, something he tragically lost with the divorce of his own parents and the death of his mother.

“He has even jokingly called Michael Middleton ‘Dad’ and definitely enjoys their close relationship.”

This comes as James – younger brother of Kate and Pippa – has opened up about the moment he knew Prince William was right for his sister.

In an extract from his upcoming book, Meet Ella, which is to be published on September 26, James spoke of the moment the engagement was pending.

He wrote: “William has been in our lives for so long and we’ve grown very fond of him. He feels like our older brother and he and Catherine are so clearly a good fit, just right for each other. As we digest the news, I know I haven’t yet experienced the love they feel for each other myself. But I’m hoping one day I will.

“I thought how lucky William was to be marrying my capable, down-to-earth big sister, and I felt absolutely reassured that they were in love.

“It was beautiful to see how he brought out her confidence. She’d blossomed. I knew he’d look after her, and he does to this day.”

James and William’s ‘brother bond’

Claudia added: “James obviously adores his brother-in-law.

“In his autobiography, he describes him as the ‘older brother’ he never had and says he was ‘reassured that they were in love’.”
Michael and Carole Middleton, parents of Kate announce engagement of daughter to Prince William and leave hospital after birth of Prince George
The royal biographer pointed out there are numerous “parallels” between William’s family and the Middletons, which has enabled the Prince and Princess of Wales to create a “strong bond.”

Claudia explained: “They both grew up in the Home Counties, with a love of country pursuits and animals, went to neighbouring public schools, which played sport against each other, and have strong competitive instincts.”

She claimed that William and James – who is married to French finance worker Alizée Thevenet and dad to son Inigo – particularly bonded over their love of dogs.

Bonded over dogs

8

James and William found common ground over their love of dogs, according to royal biographer Claudia JosephCredit: Rex

8

William with James and Harry at Pippa’s wedding in 2017Credit: Getty
Claudia continued: “There is obviously a strong bond between William and James, as James suggests in his autobiography Meet Ella.

“In fact, it was when James got his dog Ella as a puppy that the two men first bonded.

“As a child William had a black labrador called Widgeon and when he died, there was a hole in William’s heart.

He [Prince William] feels like our older brother and he and Catherine are so clearly a good fit, just right for each other

James Middleton

“That hole was fixed when Ella had a puppy Lupo, who became an important member of the Cambridge family.

“From the moment William met Ella, they bonded, and Ella gave William the excuse to escape the competitive nature of the Middleton family and slink off to cuddle her and take her for walks.

“When Lupo died in 2020, James gave his nieces and nephews another black cocker spaniel called Orla.”

8

James seen with Prince William and Princess Kate on Christmas day in 2016Credit: Getty – Contributor

8

William and Harry are currently said to have a tense relationshipCredit: Getty

Mental health honesty

In his upcoming book, James has been candid about his struggles with his mental health, and the royal family are passionate about tackling stigma surrounding the topic.

The Prince and Princess of Wales even launched the mental health initiative Heads Together to help change the conversation on mental health.

Claudia added: “James has also been incredibly open about his own mental health struggles, as has Prince Harry.

“But tragically, while James has talked about how he survived feeling suicidal, without laying the blame at anyone’s door, Harry has consistently blamed the Royal family for his woes.

“If Harry could take a leaf out of James’ book, perhaps the Royal brothers could be close once more.”

8

Princess Kate with younger brother James at The Concert For Diana At Wembley Stadium

The billionaire rapper is facing four lawsuits alleging sex trafficking and abuse

The Duke of Sussex has been named in a $30m (£24m) lawsuit against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, in which the rapper is accused of sex trafficking and sexual abuse.

Combs, who faces a litany of sexual assault allegations, is said to have drawn guests to his infamous parties through his VIP associations with “celebrities such as famous athletes, political figures, artists, musicians and international dignitaries like British Royal, Prince Harry”, according to the legal notice.

The 73-page lawsuit was filed last month by record producer Rodney Jones, and accuses the billionaire of being a serial sex abuser.

Prince Harry has been named in the lawsuit as an example of a well-known associate of the rapper (Reuters)

There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by the prince, and his name is only mentioned once in the documents as an example of a well-known celebrity associate of Combs.

Both Harry and his brother Prince William were pictured with Combs and Kanye West in 2007 after the musicians performed in the Concert for Diana at Wembley stadium.

In his lawsuit, Mr Jones accuses Combs of sexually assaulting him and claims that he threw parties attended by sex workers and underage girls.

He also alleges that Combs coerced him to solicit prostitutes and pressured him to have sex with them. The 54-year-old media mogul has denied the claims, which he described as “pure fiction”.

Combs is also facing lawsuits from three other women, while two of his properties in Miami and Los Angeles were searched by federal agents on Monday as part of the ongoing investigation.

US Homeland Security said: “Homeland Security Investigations New York executed law enforcement actions as part of an investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners.”

Law enforcement agents stand at the entrance to a property belonging to rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs (AP)

In November last year, Combs was sued by his former girlfriend R&B singer Cassie, who alleged she had been raped, plied with drugs and assaulted by Combs over a 10-year period.

The suit was settled the next day, but the three other lawsuits followed over the next month, alleging that he had sexually abused the claimants or participated in revenge pornography against them.

In a statement in December, he described the claims as “sickening” and said his accusers were “looking for a quick payday”.

“Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth,” he said.

Also known as P Diddy and Puff Daddy, Combs is one of the most influential hip-hop producers and executives of the 21st century, and has previously worked with artists including Usher, Notorious BIG and Mary J Blige.

PRINCE Harry is set to give an emotional speech in New York as he follows in his mum Princess Diana’s footsteps.

The Duke of Sussex, 40, will be in the Big Apple during the UN General Assembly High-level Week and Climate Week, which takes place from 22 to 29 September.

Your info will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy

6

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, attends the One805 LiveCredit: The Mega Agency

6

Diana, Princess of Wales wearing a bombproof visor during her visit to a minefield in Huambo, AngolaCredit: PA:Press Association

6

Prince Harry followed in his mum’s footsteps in 2019Credit: PA:Press Association
Harry will embark on a solo trip to New York City and take part in a number of engagements, including with African Parks and The Diana Award.

And he will take to the stage tomorrow during an event hosted by the HALO Trust, a landmine clearance charity which Diana worked with before she died.

Princess Diana famously walked through an area being cleared of landmines in Huambo, Angola, a few months before her death in 1997.

The image went on to become one of the most iconic photos of the late princess.

Prince Harry followed in his mum’s footsteps in 2019 as he walked down a busy Angola street that once was the minefield she visited.

A spokesperson for the Duke said: “During UN General Assembly High-level Week and Climate Week in New York City, Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, will be in town to advance a number of his patronages and philanthropic initiatives.

The statement added: “He will participate in engagements with African Parks, The HALO Trust, The Diana Award, and Travalyst.

“In addition, he will be furthering the work of The Archewell Foundation, the nonprofit organization he co-founded with his wife Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex. More details will be shared as we approach the week of events.”

It comes after Harry cracked a joke as he took to the stage at a star-studded event yesterday.

He presented an award at an event which Hollywood actor Kevin Costner organised to raise funds for emergency services.
Prince Harry surprises Richard Marx backstage at One805Live! concert
Meghan Markle was absent from the fundraiser near their California home due to reported illness.

A source at the event told the Mirror: “We were all hoping Meghan would attend like she did last year but the word is that she is sick and could not make it.”

Harry wore a suit but no socks to the annual Santa Barbara One805Live! event.

He presented an award to local helicopter pilot Loren Courtney soon after arriving at 7pm.

Former chopper pilot Harry joked about how they both felt more at home behind the controls of a helicopter than onstage.

Costner, pop star Pink and Eighties legend Richard Marx all performed at the event.

The prince is reportedly also set to travel to the UK for an event on September 30.

6

He presented an award to helicopter pilot Loren Courtney yesterdayCredit: Getty

6

The event was organised by Hollywood star Kevin CostnerCredit: Splash

6

Meghan Markle missed the event due to reported illness

He was the Eton-educated royal playboy who massacred nearly all his family after a row about the woman he wanted to marry.

On June 1, 2001, Crown Prince Dipendra of Nepal shot dead eight relatives, including his parents – the king and queen – and siblings before turning one of his weapons on himself at the family’s palace in Kathmandu.

Despite being in a coma with grievous head wounds, Dipendra, 29, was named as the new king – but ‘reigned’ for just three days before his life support machine was switched off.

Now, the troubled playboy’s motive for the killings that shocked the world is being explored in the penultimate episode of Daily Mail podcast series Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things.

Mail columnist and royal biographer Robert Hardman and his co-presenter Professor Kate Williams examine Dipendra’s long-held desire to marry Devyani Rana, the daughter of an Indian princess.

+15

On June 1, 2001, Crown Prince Dipendra of Nepal shot dead eight relatives, including his parents – the king and queen – and siblings before turning one of his weapons on himself at the family’s palace in Kathmandu. Above: Crown Prince Dipendra examining an automatic rifle in a Pakistan ordinance factory

+15

Princess Diana poses with King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya and their son, Crown Prince Dipendra during her visit to Nepal in March 1993

His mother, Queen Aishwarya, was particularly against the match, and on the night of her murder, she and her husband – King Birendra – had a stand-up row with Dipendra.

During his time at Britain’s most prestigious private school, he was given the nickname ‘Dippy’ and was known for his obsession with guns and martial arts.

Birendra had become the monarch in 1972 after the death of his father, King Mahendra.

Birendra willingly gave up some of his power to make his kingdom more democratic, but the move was unpopular with traditionalists in his family, including his wife and oldest son.

Princess Diana got on well with Dipendra when she visited Nepal in early 1993, a few months after she separated from Prince Charles.

Mr Hardman recounted how the royal went missing one evening during her visit, which was her first official trip after her separation.

The historian was told that she had gone off with Dipendra, who drove her around Kathmandu after getting the police to shut down all the roads.

On the night of the royal massacre, the family had come together for dinner at the Narayanhiti Palace in Kathmandu because it was the end of the week.

While discussing affairs of state, things ‘started to go wrong’, Mr Hardman says.

+15

The royal family of Nepal poses for a photo at the Narayanhiti Royal Palace in Katmandu, Nepal. From left: Princess Shruti, King Birendra, Crown Prince Dependra, Queen Aishwarya and Prince Niranjan

+15

King Charles, then the Prince of Wales, talking to Crown Prince Dipendra in Kathmandu during his visit in 1998

+15

Charles is given a warm send off by Crown Prince Dipendra in Kathmandu at the end of his four-day visit, February 1999

+15

+15

Crown Prince Dipendra (pictured above in 1998) wanted to marry Devyani Rana (right)

+15

The ninth episode of new Daily Mail podcast, Queen’s Kings and Dastardly Things, airs from today

+15

+15

The podcast is presented by Mail columnist and royal biographer Robert Hardman and historian Professor Kate Williams

Dipendra had a ‘huge standup row’ with his parents and then ‘gets up and he leaves the room.’

‘Instead of going off to stew in his apartments, the crown prince wasn’t letting this lie.

‘We know that he changed into fatigues. And there, suddenly, to everyone’s horror,

‘At the door of the room, there is the crown prince in military kit, and he’s armed, and he opens fire.

‘He shoots his father, his father the king, but then as other members of the family either rush forward or rush away, he starts to shoot them as well.’

Dipendra, who was armed with weapons including an MP5 submachine gun, a shotgun and a Colt carbine –  even chased his own mother out of the room before executing her.

+15

King Dipendra is taken for cremation in Kathmandu, wearing a flower on his forehead to hide the fatal bullet hole

+15

A distraught mourner is held back in front of a picture of slain King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya on the street in Kathmandu, June 4, 2001

+15

Pall bearers carry coffins with bodies of Nepal’s royal family through the river Bishumati for cremation in Kathmandu June 2, 2001

+15

After Dipendra’s death in hospital, the Nepalese crown went to the king’s brother, Prince Gyanendra, who was the younger brother of Birendra

+15

The Daily Mail’s coverage of the massacre, from June 2, 2001

As well as refusing to spare his brother and sister, Dipendra killed his aunts, one of his aunt’s husbands and a princess who was a cousin of the king.

‘By the end of this extraordinary, horrific act of regicide, it’s not just the king who lies dead, there are eight members of the royal family, and then he turns the gun on himself,’ Mr Hardman adds.

After Dipendra’s death in hospital, the Nepalese crown went to the king’s brother, Prince Gyanendra, who was the younger brother of Birendra.

Gyanendra, who had briefly ruled Nepal as king from 1950 to 1951 as a toddler, had not been at the fateful family dinner.

Like his nephew, he was opposed to the democratic reforms that had been enacted by his brother.

However, his rule proved deeply unpopular, ultimately leading to the abolition of the Nepalese monarchy in 2008.

But as for the role that Dipendra’s love for Devyani Rana played in his unfathomable decision to kill his whole family, listen to the latest episode of Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things to hear the verdict of Mr Hardman and Professor Williams.

Queen Camilla‘s son has described King Charles as a ‘great and tough man’ amid his ongoing cancer treatment – but admitted he tries to ‘keep out of’ Prince Harry and Prince William‘s feud.

Tom Parker Bowles, 49, who lives in West London, gushed about his step-father, who was diagnosed with cancer in February.

Speaking to British Vogue, the food writer – who lost his late girlfriend Alice Procope to cancer in 2021 – explained how King Charles is having the ‘best treatment’ possible.

He said: ‘Cancer, it really is a b*****d. The King’s having the best treatment. He’s a great and tough man, and you’ve just got to get on with it.’

However, the father-of-two acknowledged that it is a ‘worry’ to watch someone go through cancer treatment.

+5

Pictured: Tom Parker Bowles with his stepfather King Charles and mother Queen Camilla at Royal Ascot in June 2023

As such, the King’s son – whose new book Cooking & The Crown is published tomorrow – says that he has been regularly checking in with the Prince and Princess of Wales after the mother-of-three announced her own cancer diagnosis in March.

Referring to the Prince and Princess of Wales, Tom added: ‘I absolutely adore both of them.’

What’s more, the Queen’s son said that he ‘keeps out of’ Prince William and Prince Harry’s feud.

He added: ‘You just want everyone to be happy.’

In his book Spare, Prince Harry accused William of physically attacking him in a row over Meghan and claimed his brother and their father confronted him after Prince Philip’s funeral ‘looking for a fight’.

At the end of last month, the feuding brothers both attended their uncle Lord Fellowes’ funeral in Norfolk.

Despite hopes for a thawing in relations, attendees said the warring brothers appeared to be ‘keeping their distance’, did not speak to one another and ‘sat apart at the back of St Mary’s Church after arriving very discreetly’.

Lord Fellowes, who died last month, was married to Lady Jane Spencer, sister of Harry and William’s mother Diana, and was the late Queen’s private secretary.

+5

Tom Parker Bowles (pictured in March 2024) gushed about his step-father in an interview with British Vogue

+5

Pictured: Tom Parker Bowles with his step-siblings Prince William and Prince Harry on Charles and Camilla’s wedding day in 2005

Questions had been raised as to whether Harry would update the paperback edition with a new chapter – in light of the King’s cancer diagnosis and continuing family tensions – in the past 12 months.

But the fact he has chosen not to add to the revelations may be seen by some as an attempt to try and smooth over family ructions.

The last time the pair were together was for the King’s Coronation – more than a year ago. However, they were sat separately and were not pictured with one another. Before that, they were last pictured together at the late Queen’s funeral in 2022.

In March 2021, Tom Parker Bowles lost his girlfriend Alice Procope to cancer.

An insider told the Daily Mail’s Eden Confidential that, partly because of Covid, the mother-of-three’s cancer diagnosis didn’t come until last August ‘by when it was too late.’

+5

Camilla’s food writer son Tom Parker Bowles had been going out with former journalist Alice Procope (left, with Daily Telegraph Diarist Loise Hannah) for almost two years

+5

The wedding of Tom Parker Bowles and fashion writer wife Sara Buys in 2005. The pair separated in 2018

At the time, a source said Tom had been left devastated following the death of his girlfriend of two years.

His friend said: ‘Tom had been blissfully happy with Alice and is devastated that life can be so cruel.’

At school and university, Tom was subjected to many snide remarks about his parents, in particular about Camilla’s lengthy affair with Charles and its effect on Diana.

In 2018, he moved out of the Shepherd’s Bush home he shared with his fashion writer wife Sara Buys and their two children after 12 years of marriage.

Tom, whose father Andrew Parker Bowles is Camilla’s first husband, previously said he has ‘always adored’ King Charles.

He previously said: ‘All you care about your parents is they’re happy and my mother is exceptionally happy at the moment. I’ve always adored my stepfather; he’s always been a kind and good and lovely man.

British royal family news reveals that Harry, the Duke of Sussex may be regretting right about now his connection to accused sex criminal Sean “Diddy” Combs. Combs was arrested on Monday in New York City and in his 2023 memoir, Spare, Harry wrote about personally selecting the rapper to perform at a 2007 benefit concert held in honor of his late mother Diana.

What is Harry’s Connection to P. Diddy?

Prince Harry’s NSFW memoir dropped last year and now a section of the book in which he talks about the hip-hop mogul is receiving renewed attention. Keep reading to discover what Harry had to say about his alliance with the once popular rap star.

Harry gets credit for arranging the concert, together with his older brother and heir, Prince William.

Even back then Harry’s choice of the performer would have been controversial. According to Ginger Judas he also chose A-listers “such as Elton John, Fergie, Duran Duran, Nelly Furtado, Kanye West and Pharrell Williams” to honor his late mother.

Royal Family News: Why Did Harry Chose Sean Combs?

According to the Mirror, Harry wrote: “To mark the tenth anniversary of our mother’s death. Willy and I organized a concert in her honor. The proceeds would go to her favorite charities, and to a new charity I’d just launched—Sentebale.”

Harry added that “While planning the concert Willy and I were emotionless. All business. It’s the anniversary, we need to do this, there are a million details, full stop.”

That’s curious way to explain how he chose to honor his mother for her 46th birthday and the tenth anniversary of her death. The concert was held at Wembley Stadium and tickets went for around $50 a pop.

Royal Family News: Why Did Harry Associate with Puff Daddy?

Diddy has been charged with various crimes including “sex trafficking and racketeering. He was denied bail twice and is now being held at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center.”

In March the Feds raided his homes in Miami and Beverly Hills where weapons, drugs and evidence of his “freak off” parties were held. You really don’t want to know what a freak off party is, trust us. Suffice it to say that “More than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant were discovered at the mansions.” Diana would have been so proud?

Royal Family News: Harry Turned 40

Harry turned 40 on September 15 and he is expected to be in London this month to participate in the WellChild charity. Reports indicate that King Charles and Prince William are otherwise predisposed …

Be sure to catch up on everything happening with the royal family. Come back here often for the latest royal family news and updates and make us your favorite hotspot.

Editorial credit: Mr Pics / Shutterstock.com

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Home favourite Emma Raducanu returned to Wimbledon with a hard-working win over Renata Zarazua of Mexico 7-6 (0), 6-3 in the women’s singles first round on Monday.

The rub of green went the former US Open champion’s way as she got an unexpected boost after 22nd seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, her first-round opponent,

withdrew due to illness on the morning of her first-round match.

Renata Zarazua, a lucky loser, took Alexandrova’s place and Emma Raducanu managed to beat her in straight sets and make it the second round.

Raducanu was cheered on by the local crowd at the center court after he managed to battle it out in the first set before breezing through the second.

The local favourite made a cheeky reference to England football team’s performances at Euro 2024, saying it was a source of inspiration for her on her comeback run at Wimbledon.

“You have to just do what it takes to get over the line. Honestly watching the football last night, it was like winning ugly.

It all counts!” Emma Raducanu said, sending the center crowd in ruptures.

David Beckham, who was part of the crowd, also broke into laughter as the cameras panned toward the football superstar after Raducanu’s comments. Raducanu referred to England’s laboured wins at Euro 2024. Gareth Southgate’s men survived a huge scare in the Round of 16 on Sunday as they came back from behind to beat Slovakia 2-1.

Gareth Southgate has faced criticism for England’s laidback approach at the European Championships. Former United defender Gary Neville compared the game to England’s humiliating last-16 exit to minnows Iceland at the 2016 European Championship.

“I was sat on a bench in Nice eight years ago when England played Iceland — this has got Iceland vibes written all over it,” he said on Sunday.

Raducanu has been supporting England men’s football team by wearing the official Three Lions shirt for training sessions at Wimbledon. Raducanu, who missed last year’s Wimbledon due to an ankle and knee surgery, headed into the grass-court Grand Slam with a lot of confidence after having beaten former U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens and American world number five Jessica Pegula at Eastbourne last week.

Club co-owner David Beckham affirmed that Inter Miami has made continuous progress,

even almost turning a new page in history with the Leagues Cup championship thanks to the great contribution of Lionel Messi.

On the evening of August 19, Inter Miami played the final with Nashville. Messi continued to shine, scoring a wonderful left-footed curler to open the score.

Despite being tied 1-1 after 90 minutes of play, he and his teammates still won 10-9 in the penalty shootout to win the 2023 Leagues Cup.

Beckham admitted that he felt nervous when watching the 11m penalty shootout – which lasted 11 times, forcing two goalkeepers to directly take the kicks.

“It’s not easy to watch a match end like that,” the former England player said in the tunnel of Geodis Park. “Nashville fought hard, but this was Inter Miami’s night.”

Beckham then praised the summer arrivals Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba: “It’s like a movie, every time Messi scores, Busquets passes, Alba runs. People say it’s programmed, and that’s the biggest compliment to these players. You watch them play and you feel emotional. Everything about their style of play is beautiful.”

Inter Miami were founded in 2018. They joined MLS two years later, finishing 19th, 20th and sixth in three seasons. Beckham’s team are currently bottom of the table after 22 games in the 2023 season, with five wins, three draws and 14 losses. Before Messi’s signing, Inter Miami had gone 11 games without a win.

But with the Argentine superstar joining, the team won all seven games on the way to winning the Leagues Cup. Messi himself contributed 10 goals. “A lot can happen in five weeks,” Beckham admitted. “Inter Miami is like a new team, with a lot of new things. We’re going to enjoy this victory and then look to the future and continue to develop. We have the best players in the world and a lot of potential academy players and that’s important. It’s an emotional moment and a long journey for me.”

While waiting to receive the Cup, Messi surprised everyone by removing the captain’s armband and handing it over to defender DeAndre Yedlin. When presenting the award, he also called Yedlin to lift the Cup to where his teammates were waiting. Yedlin is a 30-year-old right-back who joined Miami in February 2022 and was soon given the captain’s armband. But when Messi arrived, he had to give up the captaincy role to the 36-year-old superstar.

Yedlin said he was surprised by Messi’s actions, and affirmed that it was his senior who helped Inter Miami improve their mentality to always enter the match with a winning mentality. “I can’t say that was the team’s goal every time I played,” he said. “This is only Messi’s seventh game with Inter Miami. It’s unbelievable that I can lift a trophy with Messi, and that says everything about his character.”

With Inter Miami beating Nashville in the Leagues Cup final, Messi has won 44 trophies, surpassing former teammate Dani Alves to become the player with the most collective trophies in football history. He will soon have the chance to add to his record, when Inter Miami play Cincinnati in the 2023 US Open semi-final in Ohio at 6am on August 24, Hanoi time. If they reach the final, they will face Houston Dynamo or Real Salt Lake.

David Beckham, the iconic British soccer star, has recently come under the spotlight not just for his sports legacy but also for his potential eligibility for Israeli citizenship.

This discovery, spurred by Tom Bower’s new biography The House of Beckham:

Money, Sex and Power, has prompted the Jerusalem Post to explore Beckham’s Jewish roots and qualification under the Law of Return.

Beckham’s eligibility for Israeli citizenship stems from his Jewish ancestry. The Law of Return grants the right of Aliyah to anyone with at least one Jewish grandparent.

Beckham’s maternal grandfather, Joseph West, was Jewish, making Beckham eligible. Beckham has often spoken with pride about his Jewish heritage.

He remembers how his grandfather ensured the family kept Jewish traditions, such as attending bar mitzvahs and wearing a kippah at family events.

“I am part of the Jewish community, and I am proud to say it,” Beckham said during an interview at the St John’s Wood Synagogue, as reported by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

He fondly recalled visiting his grandparents every Saturday, where traditional Jewish dishes like chicken soup and matzah balls were staples.

Beckham also has a Hebrew tattoo on his left arm that reads, “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine,” a quotation from the Song of Songs in the Hebrew Bible.

Beckham’s Jewish heritage

Beckham’s maternal grandfather, Joseph West, was James Walter West’s son and Hannah Llewellyn’s son. Joseph was born in London and raised in a Jewish household, according to EthniCelebs.com. Beckham has shared that his grandfather made sure they kept up with Jewish traditions and that he wore a kippah at family events.

“Every Saturday morning, I used to see my grandfather – you’d walk in the house to my grandmother preparing chicken soup and matzah balls and latkes,” Beckham recounted, illustrating the deeply ingrained Jewish traditions in his upbringing.

Bower’s biography, released this month, does not directly address Beckham’s Jewish connections. However, it provides an in-depth look at the Beckhams’ public and private lives, offering new insights into their relationship, careers, and global brand management.

This thorough exploration has allowed the Post to revisit and highlight Beckham’s Jewish heritage in the context of his potential Israeli citizenship.

Key revelations from the book include claims about the strength of the Beckhams’ marriage, David’s alleged affairs, and their efforts to maintain a polished public image despite personal challenges. The biography suggests that their marriage has faced significant trials and that their public personas have been carefully curated to support their brand, as The Independent details.

David Beckham’s daughter-in-law, Nicola Peltz, is ready to sue a New York dog groomer after her beloved chihuahua Nala died suddenly, according to reports in the US.

The 29-year-old actress, who is married to Brooklyn Beckham, said she was heartbroken after Nala suffered what was described as a medical emergency.

The dog has been taken to the groomer, who has not been named, in upstate New York

and was rushed to an emergency vet but died a few hours later, according to the showbusiness website TMZ.

“This has been the hardest month of my life,” Ms Peltz wrote on Instagram.

“I can’t even find the words to describe my heartbreak on so many levels.

Nala was perfectly healthy when she went to the groomers yesterday but came out hyperventilating and couldn’t catch her breath.

“We rushed her to the vet and she passed hours later. I’m sharing this in hopes that it might prevent this from happening to other dogs.

“Her life was taken away from her way too soon. She was my beautiful queen and stayed by my side for nine years through everything.

“Please be careful who you send your dogs to because you don’t know what goes on behind closed doors. One day without Nala on earth feels like an eternity.”

TMZ reported that the dog had fluid in her lungs, a rapid heart rate and neurological problems.

Friends of the family say her motivation to sue is to prevent the same thing from happening to other pet owners.

In a further Instagram post, Ms Peltz said that other people had suffered similar experiences with dog groomers.

“I am relentlessly investigating the situation to find out exactly what happened in that groomer’s van. I am doing everything I can to uncover the truth,” she added.

She added that the groomer was not cooperating with the family.

Chihuahuas bought from a breeder cost from $500 to $2,000 (£395 to £1,580). A shelter would look for donations ranging from $100 to $600 (£79 to £474).

The groomer saga is not the couple’s first involvement in a legal dispute.

Ms Peltz’s father Nelson, a billionaire investor, sued the Miami-based event-planning firm Plan Design Events (PDE) hired to orchestrate the couple’s wedding on his oceanfront estate in Palm Beach in April last year.

He accused the company, run by Nicole Braghin and Arianna Grijalba, of failing to return a $159,000 deposit. They countersued, describing Mr Peltz as a “billionaire bully” and accused the family of putting them through “wedding planning hell”.

The planners were hired six weeks ahead of the wedding and sacked nine days before the event,

The billionaire’s legal team alleged that the planners “viewed this as an opportunity to take advantage of Peltz by making material misrepresentations on both their website and in person regarding their experience, expertise, and capability of planning the wedding,”

The dispute was settled out of court in September with the agreement being confirmed by the company in a statement to People magazine.

“As part of the settlement, PDE will make a donation in the name of Nicola and Brooklyn to the CARE Ukraine Crisis Fund,” it said.