There was a time when Victoria Beckham was Meghan Markle’s strongest ally and supporter. Even before she married Prince Harry, Meghan was delighted to be included in Victoria’s inner circle – and even boasted about their closeness on her now defunct lifestyle blog, The Tig. Then, in 2018, when she and Harry did get married at St George’s Chapel, Victoria and husband David stood front and centre as two of the most high-profile guests in attendance, cementing the Sussex-Beckham alliance with the world’s eyes watching. Crossing the lines of sport, fashion, charity and royalty, the foursome were a powerful force to be reckoned with.

But a lot can change in six years – and the Sussexes’ friendship with David and Victoria is no exception. Having slowly grown apart, especially after Harry and Meghan stepped down from royal life and moved to California, an all-out feud then kicked off last year, after the former senior royals allegedly accused Victoria of selling stories about them to the press. David, for his part, was reportedly incensed by the accusations and the couple vehemently denied them; he then duly cut ties with Harry – instead making his allegiances to King Charles and Prince William all the more prominent. 

Victoria, meanwhile, showed little concern for keeping any semblance of a friendship alive – seemingly snubbing the Sussexes from her celeb-filled, 50th birthday earlier this year. And in August, the fashion designer apparently snubbed her former friend again, after Meghan wore a Victoria Beckham at an event during her and Harry’s highly-publicised visit to Columbia. According to insiders, the duchess had decided to wear the blouse as a last-ditch attempt at extending an olive branch to Victoria, especially as she knew that Harry is keen to put their bad blood behind them, in the hope that it could help him and Meghan build bridges with his estranged family in the long run.

But we’re told the fact that Victoria, 50, ignored the gesture and didn’t post it on her social media (which she is wont to do whenever an A-lister wears her designs) was all the proof that Meghan needed that her efforts are in vain. As far as she is concerned, she’s officially over trying to make amends, and this latest snub is the final straw – and, while Harry is willing to keep trying to foster a reignited friendship, Meghan is digging her heels in all the more and is refusing to ever make peace with the Beckhams.   

‘As well as simply wanting to reinstate his friendship with the couple, Harry feels it would a clever chess move if they can find a way of repairing the broken bond with David and Victoria,’ says an insider close to the Sussexes, who – despite having some of the world’s most A-list stars in attendance at their wedding, including Oprah Winfrey, Serena Williams and George and Amal Clooney, have infamously alienated some of their once-close friends over the years as they’ve continued to lodge very public complaints against the royals. ‘For one thing, it would open all kinds of opportunities for them in both the UK and the US. The Beckhams have so many connections. Love them or hate them, they’re just so popular socially, and that could only benefit Harry and Meghan. But she doesn’t see it that way. It’s no secret that they’re rejected her pretty publicly many times over, so it’s easy to see why the idea of kissing up to them would be very hard to stomach. She has a lot of pride, and isn’t going to want to bend a knee to anyone.’

As Closer has reported, Harry’s antipathy towards the palace has diminished over the past year – especially considering King Charles and Kate Middleton’s respective cancer battles. But while he’s made pains to reconnect and build bridges, he’s reportedly been blacklisted from the fold, with little hopes in sight of a peace deal being made. 

William, in particular, is said to be hurt and angry beyond repair over the way his brother has portrayed him and Kate and is unwilling to hear him out. However, one person who does hold a lot of cachet with William is former footballer, and renowned royalist, David. Indeed, just this week, the pair looked delighted to be back in each other’s company as they both attended RAF Northolt to support London’s Air Ambulance Charity’s ‘Up Against Time’ fundraising appeal, which raised £16m for new rescue helicopters. This is just the latest philanthropic campaign that the pair have collaborated on together, with insiders saying that David is keener than ever to support causes that matter most to the palace. 

With the pair looking so chummy and at ease, it’s no surprise that Harry – having burned his bridges – is keen to have David back onside and as a useful intermediary link moving forwards. For him, it’s not just about reigniting his and Meghan’s social life, it’s about making clever moves now to forge a road back to the palace. What’s more, it’s not just in the UK that both David and Victoria hold sway. They’re also incredibly popular in the US, especially since David’s Netflix documentary, Beckham, proved to be such a hit last year, adding to Victoria’s influence as one of Hollywood’s most beloved designers. But, as much as Harry sees this as a necessary means to an end, Meghan – who shares Archie, five, and Lilibet, three, with Harry – simply isn’t playing ball. 

‘Meghan feels it’s ridiculous to even care what the Beckhams think,’ says our source. ‘Instead, she has her sights set on making friendships with much more powerful people, like Kamala Harris. As far as she’s concerned, it’s beneath them to be begging the Beckhams for approval. But Harry knows how much William values David’s friendship, and his hope is that getting David’s seal of approval could help soften things with his brother. He insists he’s being strategic and has put the word out that he’d like to be friends again. It’s frustrating for him that Meghan doesn’t agree, but she feels it’s Victoria and David that should be apologising to them, not the other way around.’