The royal household of Mountbatten-Windsor is hallowed the world over, but Gen Z appear keener to worship another ‘royal family’: Brand Beckham.
Celebrities have always had adoring fans (and avid haters), with Gen Z being equally keen to gossip about the rich and famous. And while the Beckham clan does have remarkable similarity to the British royals (millions of pounds and a delicious feud right at the heart of the family), to brand them ‘the new royals’ reflects media obsession and a disconnect more than any power shift.
The Beckhams are the poster child for this phenomenon. Headed by former footballer turned businessman, David Beckham and Spice Girls member, Victoria Beckham, the family name carries weight.
To compare celebrities to the Royal Family however is lazy and more to do with media hounding and how Gen Z feels disconnected from the Windsors. Only 30% of 18–24-year-olds having support for the monarchy according to the BBC.
Meanwhile the Beckhams have nowhere near as many links to power as the Windsor family. The Beckham brood are born in the age of influencer; brand deals and cultural cache, with a desperate attempt to appear relatable despite their multi-millions. Meanwhile, the rituals of the royals feel stuck in time, with no apparent need to appeal to the everyman. They don’t need to; their income doesn’t rely on consumption but merely birth right.
However, as much as celebrity moments and emotions are scrutinised by the media, it’s still also a far cry from the problems regular people experience, celebrities can be just out of touch with the people as their royal counterparts.
Kingston architecture student Immy Millard, 21, echoed this sentiment: “I personally don’t think [the Beckhams] are the new Royal Family, more people within the sphere of high-profile gossip.”
Millard’s point refers to the Brooklyn Beckham saga that has been dominating media coverage, an explosive six-page letter to his parents detailing his anger at them for ‘hijacking’ his wedding to Nicola Peltz.
To many, including Millard, Beckham Jr’s tirade against his parents was childish and public: “It seemed a bit like a child having a tantrum against their parents, the way he wrote it made him more out of touch.”
However, others have expressed sympathy for Brooklyn, relating from his unusual background. Being able to grow up with your identity and image being controlled by your family is a privilege. For celebrity kids, this is harder due to their family name.
The fawning over celebrities and high-profile families doesn’t mean the rise of a new monarchy, but a generation challenging the traditional ideas of power and influence as people realise, they can’t really relate to either.
