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Sarah, Duchess of York is swapping royal life for ITV’s Loose Women as she helps to launch their breast cancer campaign, following her own diagnosis earlier this year

Sarah, Duchess of York will be swapping royal palaces for the ITV studios as she joins the Loose Women panel.

The Duchess will appear alongside regulars Christine Lampard, Coleen Nolan and Brenda Edwards as she urges women across the nation to attend their mammograms. It comes just months after the royal, 64, underwent a mastectomy after having been diagnosed with breast cancer herself.

On Thursday, the former wife of Prince Andrew will make her debut on the programme and open up about her diagnosis for the first time. The Duchess will sit alongside Brenda who in 2016 was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer, while Coleen’s older sister, Bernie Nolan, passed away from breast cancer.

Sarah, Duchess of York will be joining the Loose Women panel ( 
Image:
ITV)
Ahead of joining the programme which will air on Thursday, the Duchess said: “I almost missed the screening appointment that saved my life. I couldn’t face a journey into London on a hot day this summer and it was only my sister Jane’s insistence that I went, that persuaded me. My cancer was completely symptom-free – I never found a lump and did not feel ill. My experience underlines the vital importance of getting screened when you’re called in. It’s a matter of grave concern that 1.2 million mammogram appointments have been missed, according to the latest figures, many of them during the pandemic.

“I am proud to be supporting the campaign by Loose Women, backed by NHS England, to persuade women to catch up on missed appointments and to turn up when they are called in. Don’t skip your screening – it could save your life as it did mine.” It was confirmed in June by a representative for Sarah that she was delivered the news following a routine mammogram.

The Duchess will open up about her own breast cancer ordeal ( 
Image:
ITV)
Shortly after, she went under the knife and had a single mastectomy at the King Edward VII Hospital in Marylebone, Central London, which was hailed as a “success”. Now, the mum to Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie has revealed she has named her new breast ‘Kevin’ as it makes her laugh.

Having spent four days in intensive care following the surgery, Sarah said: “I’m taking this as a real gift to me to change my life, to nurture myself.” According to research and support charity Breast Cancer Now, Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK with 1 woman diagnosed every 10 minutes. Around 55,000 women and 400 men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in the UK.

Loose Women has teamed up with Breast Cancer Now for their Don’t Skip Your Screening campaign, encouraging women to attend screenings and seek advice on any unusual changes that they discover on or around their breasts.

Sarah, Duchess of York, joins Loose Women on Thursday, November 2, from 12:30pm on ITV and ITVX.

Anyone looking for support or information can speak to Breast Cancer Now’s expert nurses via our free, confidential Helpline on 0808 800 6000.”

Madeleine’s father is Palestinian, and aside from helping her local community in Manchester and doing charity work the beauty queen will soon travel to a Palestinian refugee camp

It’s a bit of a cliche for beauty queens to call for world peace at pageants, but when Madeleine Roche was crowned Miss Great Britain last week, the first mixed-race winner in 78 years of the contest and proudly half Palestinian, peace was genuinely, and heavily, playing on her mind.

After five years of competing in the contest, she recalls the moment her dream finally came true. “I was just closing my eyes and really, really hoping that I’d hear them shout out ‘Madeleine’. When they did it was all a bit of a blank. I just remember thinking ‘Don’t cry, don’t cry. You’ll have really ugly pictures if you cry,” explains the 33-year-old, who is married to Shane Jr, son of the Mirror’s Coleen Nolan and EastEnders ’ actor Shane Richie.

But away from the pageant final, the Israel-Hamas conflict raged on, making her win bittersweet as she feels a responsibility to represent her people. “It’s been really hard when you’re seeing everything that’s going on over there. Any loss of life is really tragic and I found it really emotional, and it really did affect me, is affecting me, as I’m sure it is people all around the world… But hopefully I made my Arabic family proud. I’m just praying for there to be a peaceful solution,” she explains.

 

Madeleine’s father is Palestinian, and aside from helping her local community in Manchester and doing charity work the beauty queen will soon travel to a Palestinian refugee camp

It’s a bit of a cliche for beauty queens to call for world peace at pageants, but when Madeleine Roche was crowned Miss Great Britain last week, the first mixed-race winner in 78 years of the contest and proudly half Palestinian, peace was genuinely, and heavily, playing on her mind.

After five years of competing in the contest, she recalls the moment her dream finally came true. “I was just closing my eyes and really, really hoping that I’d hear them shout out ‘Madeleine’. When they did it was all a bit of a blank. I just remember thinking ‘Don’t cry, don’t cry. You’ll have really ugly pictures if you cry,” explains the 33-year-old, who is married to Shane Jr, son of the Mirror’s Coleen Nolan and EastEnders ’ actor Shane Richie.

But away from the pageant final, the Israel-Hamas conflict raged on, making her win bittersweet as she feels a responsibility to represent her people. “It’s been really hard when you’re seeing everything that’s going on over there. Any loss of life is really tragic and I found it really emotional, and it really did affect me, is affecting me, as I’m sure it is people all around the world… But hopefully I made my Arabic family proud. I’m just praying for there to be a peaceful solution,” she explains.

Madeleine in beachwear ( 
Image:
Instagram/madeleine_roche)
Madeleine’s father is Palestinian, and aside from helping her local community in Manchester and doing charity work the beauty queen will soon travel to Jordan to a Palestinian refugee camp where her grandparents lived after escaping war in her new role as Miss Great Britain.

“My family were displaced and they were forced to leave Palestine back in the fifties. My grandfather’s house was bombed and his father was killed and his family had to escape,” she says. “They actually lived in caves on the side of the mountain while they were waiting for an escape route.

“My grandmother and her family had to live in a fire station after their house was obliterated and they escaped to Jordan. They were refugees there and were granted Jordanian nationalities and passports because they were stripped of their Palestinian ones.” This will be an emotional experience for the newly crowned Miss Great Britain, but she knows the importance of using her platform to help others.

Madeleine after being crowned Miss Great Britain ( 
Image:
Instagram/madeleine_roche)
“I hundred percent feel so passionately about it. But equally I think it’s so important to take passion out of it and actually come with facts and figures and correct information, which is what I try and do and what I try to share on social media. But at the end of the day, it’s harrowing. Obviously peace and ceasefire is so important. And with that should come equality and basic human rights on both sides.”

Loose Women star Coleen, 58, was in the crowd when Madeleine was crowned winner and says she screamed louder than she ever has in her life. Madeline says: “I’d been practising my walk in Coleen’s kitchen; she gave me the space to do it. But they were so proud and so happy. They were all crying more than I was.”

Coleen, who has been joking she can call herself a Miss GB winner-in-law, said: “I cannot tell you how proud I am of my daughter in new Maddie becoming the new Miss Great Britain. Maddie was the best person for the job.” Madeleine has been competing in pageants since she was young, and this was her fifth attempt at the Miss Great Britain contest.

Madeleine on her wedding day ( 
Image:
Madeleine Roche)

She explains that she was emboldened to compete to show other girls that there are all different ways to be beautiful. “Growing up there wasn’t really anybody that looked like me in the media or anybody in pageants,” she says. “I thought that it would be amazing to be able to show my little sister and other women everywhere that there is a place for Arab girls.”

Madeleine grew up in Deal, Kent, where there were not many ethnic minorities. “There was my dad and his best friend and that was about it,” she says. “I was bullied a little bit when I was younger due to my ethnicity. So I think that gave me a bit of a step back as to what actually what beauty meant here. Just name calling unkind names.

Being from such a small, predominantly white town was quite hard.” However Madeleine explains that pageants helped her confidence to grow, as did the love of her husband Shane, whom she met seven years ago when his band played at a pageant she was competing in. “He taught me to be more fun, I used to be more uptight. I just prefer the version of myself when I am around him,” she says.

 

Coleen Nolan has revealed her children were ‘confused’ about her romance with Michael Jones after the Loose Women star struggled to commit to the relationship in the first year

Coleen Nolan has admitted that her children weren’t “sure” about her new boyfriend, admitting her own uncertainty about the relationship in its first year left the three young adults “confused”.

The Loose Women host is currently dating Michael Jones, after swiping ‘right’ on his Tinder profile during the Covid-19 lockdown. Their romance hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing, however, with Coleen splitting from the supermarket logistics worker in April 2022 after one year together.

They have since reunited and even have plans to move in together when Coleen’s youngest child, Ciara, goes away travelling with her boyfriend in January. The reality TV star has now confessed that her lack of commitment in the first year of their relationship didn’t exactly help the 57-year-old integrate into her family.

Coleen and Michael have reunited after their split ( 
Image:
Instagram/coleen_nolan)

Coleen has revealed Michael will move into her home when her daughter Ciara goes travelling in January ( 
Image:
coleen_nolan/Instagram)
“The first year I was with Michael, they weren’t sure because, one minute I was all about him and the next I was saying I finished it, so they were confused,” the 58-year-old told OK! magazine. After they’d split, Coleen found herself desperately missing Michael and reconsidering their breakup.

The distance gave her the band singer the space to “sort my head out and accept that I deserve to be and can be loved like that,” after previously being cheated on by her first husband, Shane Richie. “But now I’m very different and Michael feels more secure, the kids get on great with him. They’re really supportive now, so it’s nice,” Coleen continued. “They were super protective of me so they didn’t want me to go back on the dating scene and jump, because they’ve seen me go through things before.”

Coleen with her three children, Shane, Jake and Ciara ( 
Image:
Coleen Nolan/Instagram)

Coleen has since admitted she never expected to fall in love again after enduring infidelity and two divorces in the public eye. “If someone had told me three years ago that I’d find love again I would have laughed hysterically! But I feel so lucky now that it’s happened,” she said. “It feels wonderful to be forging ahead with someone I love by my side. And if it doesn’t work out at some point then I know I can be alone too and still survive.”

Coleen has previously hailed Michael for boosting her self-confidence, revealing that she doesn’t feel the need to dress up for him. “I’ll be sitting there in my pyjamas with no makeup on, swollen eyes and a cold sore and he still looks at me like I’m the best thing since sliced bread,” she said. “Normally I’d be thinking, ‘I need to put make-up on or he won’t fancy me or love me!’ And Michael’s come along and he just looks at me like I’ve never been looked at before.”

Coleen was first married to EastEnders’ Shane Richie, with whom she shares two sons, Jake and Shane Roche Jr. She also has a daughter, Ciara, with her second husband, Ray Fensome. The pair split in 2017, after 11 years of marriage.

Mysterious Girl hitmaker Peter Andre’s wife Emily revealed a rare insight into the couple’s parenting as she appeared on ITV’s Loose Women on Monday

Peter Andre’s wife Emily revealed their parenting “strengths” on Loose Women.

Appearing on the ITV panel programme on Monday, the NHS doctor opened up about her parenting ahead of welcoming baby number three. It’ll be Pete’s fifth child as he shares 18-year-old Junior and 16-year-old Princess with ex-wife Katie Price and two children with Emily, nine-year-old Amelia and six-year-old son Theo.

It was only last month that Emily and Pete said they were “delighted” their kids we “so excited” for the new addition, and Emily spoke more about their parenting styles in her latest TV appearance alongside the star-studded hosts.

Emily is pregnant with her third child ( 
Image:
instagram/@peterandre)

The couple announced the baby news in October ( 
Image:
PA)
After being asked if the two manage their “teamwork”, Emily admitted: “Yeah, we try to because, you know, it’s remembering another thing on top of everything else isn’t it?” She made the comment after the panel joked they’ll have one more set of teeth to brush in the mornings with their little ones Amelia and Theo.

Emily added: “So yeah we do try and remind each other. But I also think in a, you know, within parents, you’ve each got your strengths and you’ve just got to work together, do you best, that’s all you can do isn’t it.”

Peter shared the happy baby news in October with an adorable photo of the pair. Posting a photo of himself and Emily, 34, holding scans of their baby, he wrote on Instagram : “We are delighted to share the news with you all. A new addition to our family in 2024. The kids are so excited. So are we.”

Among the friends and celebrities to congratulate the couple was ex-wife Katie’s ex-husband Kieran Hayler, who also shares two children with the former glamour model. Sharing a heart emoji, he wrote simply: “Congratulations.”

James Jordan also commented: “Such amazing news my friend – family is everything.” While Catherine Tyldesley wrote: “Oh guys!!! How gorgeous!!!! Huge congratulations xxx.” Alex Beresford commented: “Congratulations guys.” While Lizzie Cundy wrote: “What !! Another ?? Wow !!! Huge congratulations darlings!!!!”

It comes a year after Peter said that he and Emily were open to the idea of having another child, telling OK!: “We do talk about it all the time, but one minute we’re a “yes” and the next we’re a “no”. We love the idea of having one more child, because the two we have together are the most amazing kids – but that thought usually lasts until we see other people with screaming babies! I don’t know.

“Maybe Junior will be bringing our grandchild to visit in the next 10 years.” However, just 12 months prior the pair had ruled out another baby as “there aren’t enough hours in the day” to balance the four they currently have. While Peter said simply ‘hell no’, Emily explained: “I love babies, don’t get me wrong. But I was watching Millie talking yesterday with Theo and I thought ‘If I have a baby, it will be so hard to do this’.”

“And I think actually the other kids would end up missing out a bit. So, for me, it’s just lovely how it is now. I love giving them all my focus and attention. I just don’t think the dynamic is right for a baby at the moment.”

Emily and Peter married at Mamhead House in Exeter in 2015 after first becoming friends five years prior when their families met. The pair went on to date in 2012, with Peter getting down on one knee just a few years later.

Loose Women star Linda Robson has said ‘enough is enough’ as she confirmed her marriage to husband Mark Dunford is over – after months of speculation the pair had split

Loose Women star Linda Robson has confirmed she and her husband Mark Dunford are no longer together.

The ITV daytime show’s panelist and Birds of a Feather star, 65, and her husband Mark had been married for 33 years – but now Linda has confirmed they have split as she said “enough is enough”.

Linda had sparked speculation of marriage woes for months as she spoke about her and Mark’s relationship on the show. Speaking in September, Linda said she was “not looking for anyone”, before swearing and saying she “can’t be f***ked”.

Linda Robson has confirmed she has split from her husband Mark ( 
Image:
Dave Benett/Getty Images)

The TV star declared ‘enough is enough’ as she discussed her split ( 
Image:
Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Now, the star has confirmed to Woman magazine she is single. She said of her ex-husband Mark: “He’s a really good dad and we had some good years, but enough is enough.

“I’ve got my family and my kids around me. And I’m going on a cruise with Lesley Joseph in November. I’m keeping busy. I feel fine. I’m just going away on trips all the time.

“I’m not interested [in dating] honestly. I can’t be a***d with all that.”

Linda sparked speculation of marriage woes with comments on Loose Women – one of which saw her discuss her sex life, as she revealed she and Mark had not had sex in two years. Linda said on the ITV show in June: “Can I just say I’ve been celibate for two years?”, before Denise Welch chimed in to add: “I know, but you’ve got to get with it.”

Linda then went on to say: “I know, you got me a lady friend,” before Denise confirmed she did make the purchase.

However, Linda had previously dismissed concerns over her marriage – insisting rumours she and Mark were no longer together as “rubbish”.

Discussing the speculation, Linda said: “That’s a load of rubbish. We’re still living together. We both love our kids more than anything else in the world, obviously you have a few hiccups in every marriage.

“We’ve been married 33 years so it’s not going to be all plain sailing, but we’re still together at the moment.” Then, in August, Linda made a cryptic comment about Mark and her marriage struggles as she made a dig at her husband when she discussed how she spent her weekend.

Linda was already mum to Lauren when she bumped into Mark – with the pair later going on to welcome Roberta and Louis together ( 
Image:
REX/Shutterstock)

Linda and Mark married in 1990 ( 
Image:
Dan Wooller/REX/Shutterstock)

In a chat about her weekend on the programme, Linda revealed she took herself out for dinner as all the kids had flown the next and the only people she was home with was her dog and her husband, before she added: “Notice the order!” She had mentioned her pet pooch before her husband, making the other Loose Women stars break out in hysterics.

Linda and Mark first met when they were teens but didn’t begin dating until years later. She revealed in 2017: “I used to babysit for Mark – he was a couple of years younger than me… I was 16 and he was 13 and a half, and he was a bit of a pain, to be honest. And we lived in the street next to each other.

BROOKLYN Beckham mimicked his mum Victoria as he sung the Spice Girls’ hit Say You’ll Be There on a face swap app.

The photographer, 22, took to his Instagram Story to share the hilarious video with his 12.2 million followers.

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Brooklyn Beckham gave his best Posh Spice impression on his Instagram Story last nightCredit: instagram.com/brooklynbeckham
In the footage Posh Spice, Scary Spice (Mel B), Sporty Spice (Melanie C), Baby Spice (Emma Bunton and Ginger Spice (Geri Horner) are seen in the video to their 1996 hit Say You’ll Be There.

Brooklyn decided to spice things up a little with the video and used an app that superimposed his face onto their bodies.

As the camera focused on Victoria’s solo, Brooklyn tried to hide his amusement as she belted out some high notes in his mum’s famous latex catsuit.

The model couldn’t help but share the hilarious video with everyone and he captioned the post: “Oh gosh @victoriabeckham.”

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The real Victoria looked stunning in a latex catsuit in the videoCredit: YouTube

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Brooklyn sang and danced along to the video whilst pretending to be his mumCredit: instagram.com/brooklynbeckham

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Brooklyn is David and Victoria’s eldest childCredit: Rex Features
Clearly amused by his creation, he added a sticker of Lisa Simpson laughing out loud to show how funny he found it.

Say You’ll Be There was from the band’s debut studio album, Spice, which was released in 1996.

The single, which became certified as platinum, was a huge hit all over the world.

It was the band’s second number one and landed at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US.

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The model also pretended to be Geri HalliwellCredit: instagram.com/brooklynbeckham

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Brooklyn as Mel BCredit: instagram.com/brooklynbeckham

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Brooklyn gave it his all as he danced along as Mel CCredit: instagram.com/brooklynbeckham

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He also had a go at being Emma BuntonCredit: instagram.com/brooklynbeckham
His post comes after the fashion designer paid tribute to her eldest son on his 22nd birthday earlier this month.

Alongside an adorable black and white photo of the pair from when he was a baby, Victoria wrote: “22 years ago today our lives changed forever. The kindest, most beautiful soul.

“The most incredible son, brother and fiancé.

“Happy Birthday @brooklynbeckham. We love you and are so proud of the man you have become x.”

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Romeo with his dad David and mum VictoriaCredit: Getty – Contributor
Brooklyn is the eldest child of Victoria and footballer husband David Beckham, 45.

After the pair welcomed Brooklyn into the world, the pop star gave birth to their son Romeo three years later in 2002.

He was shortly followed by Cruz in 2005.

The three boys are big brothers to their little sister, Harper Seven, who was born in 2011.

Sarah Ferguson was in good spirits as she left King Edward VII’s hospital in Marylebone on Wednesday following a malignant melanoma diagnosis just months after a breast cancer scare

Duchess Sarah Ferguson was seen leaving an appointment in London on Wednesday after revealing she had been diagnosed with a malignant melanoma (
Image: Phil Harris / Daily Mirror)

Brave Fergie was all smiles today as she waved to royal fans who wished her well following her skin cancer diagnosis – and even issued a four-word update.

Sarah Ferguson today visited her dermatologist at the King William VII hospital in Marylebone, as she continues to recuperate from malignant melanoma.

The smiling Duchess of York said “I’m fine, thank you”, when asked by fans how she was doing outside the hospital following her appointment. Wearing a navy blue blazer, matching skirt, black tights and loafers, Fergie stopped to chat with locals before being driven off by a driver.

Fergie broke the news of her shock diagnosis last week, just six months after her breast cancer battle. Prince Andrew’s ex-wife had to undergo an eight-hour operation last July to remove one of her breasts after doctors discovered the disease in a routine mammogram which she nearly missed.

Fergie appeared in good spirits on Wednesday ( 
Image:
Phil Harris / Daily Mirror)

The Duchess was at the private Marylebone hospital for an hour ( 
Image:
Phil Harris / Daily Mirror)

But plucky Fergie has already vowed to “distress into a positive” after doctors told her she was suffering from the most serious form of skin cancer after biopsies were taken from moles last year.

The 64-year-old grandma posted her first message since her diagnosis this week on Instagram, saying she was “incredibly thankful” to her medical team and was now resting at home with her family. She added how she continues to be in “good spirits” despite the setback and was “grateful for the many messages of love and support”.

A close friend said: “She is simply amazing, always looking for the positive in any situation and rarely thinking of herself. She is going to beat this disease, just like she faced down her breast cancer diagnosis, with bravery and good humour and working out a way she can use her experience to help others.”

The duchess received the news shortly after Christmas, which she spent with the royal family, including the King and Queen, at Sandringham in Norfolk.

The Duchess has already revealed to friends how she will pledge her time and profile to spur thousands of others to get checked before it is too late and in turn honour her close friend who died from the disease. Fergie’s friend Carolyn Cotterell, who she used to live with before her marriage to Prince Andrew in 1986, tragically died from skin cancer in 1999.

The duchess has tearfully discussed her friend’s tragic plight with her family previously and vowed to do more to raise awareness of the disease, a source said. Her father, Major Ronald Ferguson, was also diagnosed with skin cancer just months before his death from a heart attack in March 2003.

The Duchess’ health issues were announced in the same week it was revealed both King Charles and the Princess of Wales were undergoing treatment for their own health concerns. Kensington Palace shared in a statement last week that Kate had had abdominal surgery and would be off from royal duties until after Easter.

Meanwhile, Buckingham Palace separately released a statement to say the King would be undergoing a “corrective procedure” on an enlarged prostate later this week. Queen Camilla told well-wishers her husband was “fine” while at an engagement in Swindon on Monday.

VICTORIA Beckham has been seen blushing and being left speechless after making a raunchy jibe in a hilarious throwback clip.

The star made a rude blunder as she headed to collect the Glamour Women of The Year Awards in 2013 – in front of her son Brooklyn.

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Victoria made the awkward blunder as she accepted an awardCredit: Instagram

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Brooklyn was in the audience at the event in 2013Credit: Getty
Victoria, 47, looked embarrassed after accidentally making the innuendo while her eldest son – then 14 – was in the audience.

The previously unseen clip has been doing the rounds on Instagram after it was uncovered by popular social media account LoveOfHuns.

Having got up on stage in front of a crowd to collect her Woman of The Decade Award, VB was left blushing at her risque jibe.

Adjusting the microphone as she spoke, the star said the accidental innuendo: “Oh, I have to raise it. That doesn’t happen often.”

The former Spice Girl went on with her speech as giggles were heard from the audience – prompting her to realise her mistake.

Gasping and covering her face, Victoria responded: “Oh my god, I didn’t even mean that!” as the crowd roared in front of her.

The mother-of-four was forced to apologise to her eldest son, who had been sitting in the audience watching her.

“I’m so sorry Brooklyn, I’m so sorry. They told me to be funny but that was completely off the cuff!” she concluded.

Victoria later went on to pay a sweet tribute to her son before heading off the stage, calling him “handsome”.

“Thank you to Brooklyn, my date tonight and the most handsome man in the room, even though he’s avoiding his homework,” she jibed.

It comes days after proud mum Victoria was seen looking stunning at the wedding of her son Brooklyn, now 23, and Nicola Peltz.

The fashion designer dazzled in a £2million necklace as she watched the nuptials at Nicola’s billionaire financier dad Nelson’s £76million oceanfront estate in Palm Beach, Florida.

She stunned in a slinky silver dress – and added a a pear-cut diamond pendant to complete the look.

Kyron Keogh, co-founder of ROX Diamonds & Thrills, believes the show-shopping necklace was possibly 15 carats in total.

Kyron told MailOnline: “Victoria is wearing an ornate 18ct yellow gold necklace with a pear-cut diamond that looks like its 12cts -15cts.

“The whiteness of it indicates great clarity and so it could be worth £1.3- £2million.”

Victoria shared an emotional post about her son Brooklyn’s wedding as she spoke out for the first time since.

Sharing snaps of her and her football legend husband David, Victoria said: “Proud mum and dad. Congratulations Mr & Mrs Beckham.”

The famous couple gave exclusive access to Vogue magazine and Victoria shared a previously unseen snap of the proud parents.

In the picture, Victoria is holding up her long gown as she walks with her hair in a bun alongside her handsome husband who’s in a bow tie.

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Victoria was at her son Brooklyn’s wedding to Nicola last week

WHEN Lionel Messi lined up for David Beckham’s Inter Miami football team, it was the biggest coup in the history of the sport.

In a remarkable piece of wheeler dealing, the former England captain persuaded the world’s greatest player to sign for a team at the bottom of their United States league.

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David Beckham persuaded the world’s greatest player to sign for a team at the bottom of their United States leagueCredit: Getty

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Beckham with new Inter Miami signing Lionel MessiCredit: instagram

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David, Victoria and Harper with the Kardashians at Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami debutCredit: Instagram
Not only that, 36-year-old Messi, who captained Argentina to victory in last summer’s World Cup, turned down a reported billion-pound offer from Saudi Arabia’s top team.

Business-savvy Becks has cleverly harnessed the power of his celebrity pals to entice Messi with the kind of glamour that can’t be matched in the Middle East.

A-listers such as reality TV queen Kim Kardashian, basketball superstar Lebron James and tennis legend Serena Williams were there to watch the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner’s Inter Miami debut on Friday night.

When Beckham announced the creation of the Florida football side five years ago, music mogul Jay-Z, superstar singer J-Lo, A-list actor Will Smith and Olympic athlete Usain Bolt were by his side.

The 48-year-old appeared to be close to tears after Messi scored an injury time winner in a cup match at the club’s temporary home ground.

That is understandable, given the setbacks he has endured in setting up a football team from scratch.

A promised state-of-the-art stadium is yet to be built following legal challenges, residents’ protests and the discovery of arsenic in the soil.

‘It’s a dream’

David’s wife Victoria, 49, has been his rock throughout, uprooting the family to spend a lot of the year in Miami.

A source close to the family told us: “Signing Messi has put the team on the global map.

“It’s not just players backing the team, however. David and Victoria’s famous friends have all put weight behind it. Kim Kardashian’s son Saint is a huge football fan and Messi is his idol.

“The same can be said of the Beckhams’ pals like singer Marc Anthony, American football star Tom Brady and Lebron James, who can often be seen at games.

“It’s not just a club, it’s being seen as more of a brand which is hugely commercially viable.”

They added: “From the beginning of the venture over five years ago Victoria said she would support David at every step and that couldn’t be more true.

“Miami is fast becoming a second home for the family and they loved the relaxed pace of life there.”

Two years ago the Beckhams bought a £18.5million Miami penthouse in a 707ft tower designed by star architect Zaha Hadid, boasting a helipad and views of the Atlantic ocean.

The couple’s four children now have close ties to the area, too.

Eldest son Brooklyn, 24, married actress Nicola Peltz, 28, at the home of her billionaire father just down the road in Palm Beach, while footballer Romeo, 20, was on the books of Inter Miami’s reserve team.

Daughter Harper, 12, spends most of her summer holidays in Miami and musician Cruz, 18, has enjoyed hanging out on the £5million family yacht on the city’s sun-soaked waters.

Becks is often seen out on the town himself with celebrity pals, including Tom Brady.

Another close pal is nightlife impresario David Grutman, known as the “King of Miami” due to his restaurant and nightclub empire.

David was best man when Marc Anthony, ex-husband of Jennifer Lopez, wed model Nadia Ferreira at Miami’s Pérez Art Museum in January.

Goldenballs created a huge buzz when he appeared at the Miami Grand Prix last year, while Victoria has been spotted out locally with her pal, Desperate Housewives’ actress Eva Longoria.

The Beckhams have eaten at hotspots including Makoto, where the Kardashians have been seen, and Zuma Miami, a favourite of rap star Drake and Will Smith.

But David also enjoys more humble food and regularly stops by Enriqueta’s Sandwich Shop, a Cuban eatery where the most expensive dishes are £9.

Leidys Pla, whose family own the restaurant, told us: “He — has a little coffee — he likes Costa Rican coffee and loves the pork or a Cubano sandwich.

He’s always very nice and takes pictures with anyone who wants them.

Leidys Pla

“He’s always very nice and takes pictures with anyone who wants them.”

Her mother Lucia Pla added with a smile: “David Beckham is my friend.”

But even Becks’ A-list pals have been overshadowed by the arrival of Messi, who is being treated like a deity in the majority Latino city.

Everyone wanted to be at the game to see the South American maestro, with touts charging as much as £85,000 for tickets.

Murals celebrating the Argentinian striker have sprung up in countless places, while enterprising businesses are offering Messi-themed sandwiches and even a Messi beer.

Inter fan Maximiliano Infantino, 46, told The Sun: “It’s a dream to have Messi here. Beckham can really make things happen.

“Miami doesn’t know what’s going to hit it.

“You look at the bus stops and all you see are pictures of Messi. It’s going to change everything.”

One mural covers an entire side of a seven-floor building and shows two images of Messi painted by a local graffiti artist and touched up by Beckham, who stopped by to paint Messi’s teeth.

Axel Montano, 30, who was selling T-shirts by the mural, said: “I want to thank David Beckham for bringing Lionel Messi to this city.

‘Cocktail for success’

“They are equals and they understand each other.”

Convincing the sublime soccer superstar to join the club clearly meant a huge deal to Beckham.

The ex-England captain, who co-owns the club with Miami businessman Jorge Mas, said: “The moment that Leo went on TV and announced that he was coming to Miami, that was an emotional moment.”

He has been pursuing Messi for at least two years.

The former Barcelona star is rumoured to be on a basic annual wage of £15million, plus £30million in bonuses, and is also due to get a stake in the team when his contract ends in 2025.

Messi arrived on a free transfer from Paris St Germain and his earnings will be partly funded by a streaming deal with Apple Plus.

For us it’s a dream to have Messi here. Beckham can really make things happen.

Maximiliano Infantino

Landing his signature has impressed fellow bosses in the game, including The Apprentice star and West Ham vice-chairman Baroness Karren Brady.

She told The Sun: “With his boots on, Becks proved that unique technical ability and a tireless work ethic — aided by no shortage of charm and a sharp understanding of his own marketability — was a surefire cocktail for success.

“In the boardroom he is proving just the same as a football club owner.”

Anyone who dismissed Beckhams as a footballer-turned-underwear model couldn’t be more wrong.

He earned £657,000 per week last year, with most of the money coming from his brand, which is licensed to Adidas, Electronic Arts video games, Haig Club whisky, Maserati cars and Tudor watches.

Those sums could be overshadowed by Inter Miami in the future.

The club is Beckham’s personal project, after he cut a canny deal when he signed to play football for LA Galaxy 16 years ago.

With his boots on, Becks proved that unique technical ability and a tireless work ethic — aided by no shortage of charm and a sharp understanding of his own marketability — was a surefire cocktail for success.

Karren Brady

As part of the agreement, Major League Soccer promised Beckham could set up his own football team in the US for less than a quarter of the normal fee demanded by the competition.

But he has had to overcome objections from locals to various plans for a permanent stadium in the Florida city.

At the moment, the team plays 30 miles away in Fort Lauderdale’s 21,000-capacity DRV PNK Stadium, which used to be the home of another football team.

The first Inter Miami home match in 2020 had to be postponed due to Covid restrictions — and Beckham has gone through four managers in four years.

He displayed a ruthless streak by sacking old England and Manchester United team-mate Phil Neville last month, with the club currently languishing bottom at 15th in the Eastern Conference league.

The success of the Apple TV football comedy Ted Lasso and the Disney Plus Welcome To Wrexham documentary — about Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney taking over other Welsh non-league side — proves there is an appetite for the sport in the US.

That interest will only increase when the United States, Mexico and Canada co-host the World Cup in three years.

Baroness Brady adds: “We can all look on with pride as we see one of our greatest national treasures now helping to inspire another generation by sprinkling more stardust in the US.

“It can only be positive for the future welfare of our beautiful game as the love of it continues to spread across the world.”

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Messi captained Argentina to victory in last summer’s World CupCredit: Reuters

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Beckham goes grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s in MiamiCredit: BackGrid

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Posh and Becks with Marc Anthony and Serena Williams

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The Man United legend with Tom Brady and their respective daughtersCredit: Instagram / @davidbeckham

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Becks with LeBron James at Messi’s Inter Miami debutCredit: Instagram

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David with Leidys Pla at Cuban eatery Enriqueta’s Sandwich ShopCredit: Instagram

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Miami goes mad for Messi with murals appearing on walls

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Another mural of the Argentinian World Cup winner

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Beckham’s luxury liner named Seven after his shirt numberCredit: Mega

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Beckham’s Miami apartment buiding was designed by star architect Zaha Hadid

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Inside the posh pad with stunning views

ROMEO BECKHAM has joined Brentford B on loan from his dad’s team Inter Miami.

The 20-year-old son of Manchester United legend David first trained with the Bees’ reserve side in October.

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Romeo Beckham has joined Brentford B on loan from Inter MiamiCredit: BRENTFORD FC

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Romeo, pictured alongside dad David, outside Brentford’s Robert Rowan Performance CentreCredit: https://www.instagram.com/romeobeckham/?hl=en

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David and Romeo smiled as the youngster signed his contractCredit: https://www.instagram.com/romeobeckham/?hl=en

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Romeo will spend the rest of the season with Brentford reservesCredit: BRENTFORD FC

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Romeo in training for the BeesCredit: https://www.instagram.com/romeobeckham/?hl=en
And Romeo has now officially joined Brentford’s reserve team until the end of the current season.

He has been training with the club regularly since the end of the 2022 MLS Next Pro campaign.

Romeo, a right-midfielder like his dad, played 20 times in the league for Inter Miami II last season.

He told Brentford’s official website upon joining the Bees: “I’m very proud and very happy to be here.

“I came here at the start to keep fit during the off season. The chance then came to come on loan here and I’ve never been so excited.

“It was a fun season [in the USA] and there were a lot of ups and downs but I’m excited to come here and see what I can do.”

Romeo scored two goals and provided 10 assists as he helped Inter Miami II to sixth in the MLS Next Pro Eastern Conference last season.

He will now continue his development with the Bees.

Brentford B head coach Neil MacFarlane said: “We’ve been absolutely delighted with Romeo since he arrived with us.

“He came to us from Inter Miami with the aim of working with us during their close season. Romeo has applied himself unbelievably well, he’s really bought into the culture and the group which he has become a big part of.

“I love his standards and the way he conducts himself on and off the pitch.

“He’s been able to get fitter and fitter during his time with us and it leaves him in a good place to now step forward having joined us on loan.

“He is very technical, and he is somebody who can shift the ball quickly and cross.

“He is also a really good finisher and he has the ability to play a number of positions for us, which is also pleasing.

“I think it’s testament to us as a club, and as a B team, that Inter Miami have asked us to work with him and trust in us to continue working with him to help him with his development.”

Romeo was once on Arsenal’s books alongside brothers Brooklyn and Cruz but was released in 2014.

After a five year absence, Romeo returned to his footballing roots and in 2021 signed for his dad’s MLS side.

Meanwhile Romeo’s brother Brooklyn, 23, gave up from playing altogether after being released by the Gunners aged 16.

He told Variety that he stopped playing after realising it would be “difficult” to live up to his dad.

David, 47, who played 115 times for England, “wasn’t sad” to see budding chef Brooklyn quit as he wanted his son “to be happy”.

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Romeo came off the bench for Inter Miami’s first team in a friendly against Barcelona last summerCredit: Getty

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Romeo was previously on the books at Arsenal