Brooklyn Beckham’s outburst against his parents could cause a “savage” legal fight over his right to trademark his name, legal experts have predicted.
In an 821-word statement published on Instagram on Monday night, he said that he did not want to reconcile with his family after a bitter feud thought to have started over a wedding dress. He accused his mother, Victoria, and father, David, of “controlling” the media narrative and said that he was “standing up for myself for the first time in my life”.
Brooklyn, 26, said that in the weeks leading up to his wedding to Nicola Peltz, his parents “repeatedly pressured and attempted to bribe me into signing away the rights to my name, which would have affected me, my wife, and our future children”. He said: “They were adamant on me signing before my wedding date because then the terms of the deal would be initiated. My holdout affected the payday, and they have never treated me the same since.”
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It has since emerged that his mother owns the trademark to her eldest son’s name. Documents from the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) show that Victoria has owned the brand name “Brooklyn Beckham” since December 2016, when her son was still a child.
The trademark covers a huge array of different products and services including toys, shoes, beauty products, balloons, tickets and books. It is due to expire in December this year.
If Victoria refused to give up control of the trademark to her son, she could argue that the name’s value exists solely because of the brand she and her husband have built and therefore she had a right to retain it, a legal academic said.
Brooklyn Beckham and his wife, Nicola Peltz
STEPHANE CARDINALE/GETTY IMAGES
This could end up in a bruising court fight, according to Hayleigh Bosher, a lecturer in intellectual property law at Brunel University London.
“Brooklyn would have to argue that it was registered in bad faith, and/or it was a restraint of trade. If she owns his name, then he can’t use his own name for a sponsorship deal without her permission. If he got a sponsorship deal from Nike to use his name on a pair of boots like his dad, or perfume, usually as the owner of your own name you would be signing that as part of the deal that they can use your name for the purpose of the deal,” she said.
“But since Victoria owns the trademark in his name that means she would have to sign for the use of the branding and potentially receive the money from the sponsorship deal.”
Brooklyn could argue that the brand name was invalid based on lack of use and “bad faith”, because the trademark name is the same as his actual name.
Bosher added: “What would be really interesting but also really savage for their family would be arguing out in court whether Brooklyn Beckham is his identity and his brand, or it’s Victoria’s because they’ve built up the Beckham brand, which also happens to be her kid’s name. It sounds absurd to not have ownership of your own name but, because of this mesh of the name and the branding, it’s not that clear.”
The academic said that the issue could be settled outside of court to avoid the inevitable embarrassment.
Brooklyn, who is due to appear at a food event in Miami next month, could argue that he is allowed to use his name in “good faith” for sponsorship deals, but Victoria could argue that his name has value only because of the business empire she has built with her husband.
The family were seen together at the premiere of the Beckham Netflix docuseries in 2023
VIANNEY LE CAER/AP
Sarah Williams, director of intellectual property, trademarks & designs at Walker Morris, said that it was rare to come across a trademark held by a parent for a child, and so a legal battle would enter “uncharted waters” in terms of legal precedence.
“The grounds that Brooklyn probably would have to challenge the registration if it isn’t transferred over to him when it’s due for renewal now he’s an adult is that if the trademark hasn’t been used in the UK for five years or more then he could challenge the registration on the grounds on non-use and file his own mark — because I suspect the trademark hasn’t been used for all the good and services it covers,” she said.
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Williams added that it was likely that the dispute would be handled by the IPO first because Victoria would have to defend her continued use of the trademark. If use could not be shown, then the goods and services would be removed from the registration.
On Wednesday, DJ Fat Tony, who performed a late-night set at Brooklyn’s wedding, made a post joking about claims that Victoria danced inappropriately “on” her son.
Tony shared a video of Lucy Punch, playing Amanda in the BBC sitcom Motherland, dancing to the Lil’ Kleine and Ronnie Flex track Drank & Drugs in front of fellow parents. He titled the post “POV: Victoria Beckham during Brooklyn’s first dance”, and added the comment: ‘Actual video footage it’s true I was there!”
The DJ’s husband, Stavros Agapiou, backed up Brooklyn’s comments. “I was there and she did, he’s telling the truth,” he said in an Instagram comment, which has since been deleted, with Agapiou instead posting: “Good on him for finally speaking out!”