PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle are desperately trying to rival the “patriotic” Beckhams they once called friends, a royal expert has claimed.
Harry and David Beckham were said to have been friends for years, with photos showing the young men smiling at each other.
But there are rumors that their relationship – and their wives’ more recent friendship – has fallen apart in recent years, and one expert says it will likely never be the same again.
Richard Fitzwilliams spoke today after it was revealed that the Beckhams’ Netfix documentary series was the most-watched on the streaming giant.
The Beckhams and the Sussexes are not comparable – they are not on the same level.
Richard FitzwilliamsRoyal expert
But Meghan and Harry’s bombshell document fell to 211 on the platform’s list.
The royal commentator said this would be a blow to the Sussexes – who would dream of having the following that the Beckhams have.
Richard told The Sun: “The Beckhams are probably everything Harry and Meghan would like to be.
“You can’t compare Harry and Meghan to the Beckhams.”
He said David and Victoria were “international superstars” – and the Sussexes were not.
The expert continued: “This is what the Beckhams have not only survived, but thrived on.
“The Beckhams and the Sussexes are not comparable – they are not on the same level.
“There is no modest comparison beyond the superficial, because we have those that have basically survived for decades – and they are absolutely huge.
“So I don’t think there’s any possibility of Harry and Meghan being alike on that level.”
Prince Harry and David have enjoyed a close friendship over the years, but fissures have emerged in recent times.
The Duke of Sussex reportedly called David to accuse him and his wife Victoria of leaking stories, leaving the Beckhams ‘furious’.
And experts recently said that if Meghan’s deal failed, it would be the “ultimate revenge” for Victoria.
He said the four were friends and that the Beckhams attended the Sussexes’ wedding.
Richard continued: “We had a period where apparently Meghan was endorsing the Victoria brand, and the couples were apparently getting along well in one way or another.”
However, he believed that Megxit and the preparations for it may have played its role in their friendship.
Richard said: “There is no doubt that the Beckhams are very, very patriotic – they are huge supporters of the Royal Family.
INSIDE THE BECKHAM-SUSSEX FEUD
Prince Harry and David have enjoyed a close friendship over the years, but fissures have emerged in recent years.
The Duke of Sussex reportedly called David to accuse him and his wife Victoria of leaking stories, leaving David ‘furious’.
David was also “snubbed” by Harry after flying 22 hours from London to Sydney at the royal request for the 2018 Invictus Games.
Cracks began to appear in their friendship last spring, when the former football player invited Prince William and Kate to his son Brooklyn’s wedding – not Harry and Meghan.
At the time, a source said: “David’s attachment and history goes back to William and Kate and they have a very strong relationship and it was their choice as wedding guests. It was always about them, never about Meghan and Harry.
“They are the people that David and Victoria are connected to and it has always been about them because they have a long history together.”
And perhaps it wasn’t a coincidence that following the apparent snub, Meghan, 42, apparently stopped wearing Victoria’s designs – while Kate wore them more often.
She wore one of the designer’s dresses to an engagement in January and was spotted wearing VB glasses at Wimbledon over the summer.
She’s even reintroduced a Victoria Beckham bag into her wardrobe – taking the white Quincy bag on a royal visit in May, the first time she’s been seen with it since 2016.
As the Beckhams appear to distance themselves further from the Sussexes, a royal expert has claimed the move has strengthened David’s friendship with Prince William and the king.
Sarah Hewson, royal editor at Talk TV, said: “Perhaps by distancing himself from Harry and Meghan, it has helped David cement his relationship with William and the king.
“After all, he is supposed to meet Charles for dinner soon. I think David has made it pretty clear which side he’s on.
“David is a self-proclaimed monarchist.
“He queued for 12 hours to see the Queen lying in state and worked with the royals on several charity campaigns.”
“I strongly suspect, and this is just my opinion, that they didn’t like the way the Sussexes monetised their royal connections for gain.”
He said the Beckhams may have realized they were “very close” to the Sussexes – especially as they are also close friends with Wills and Kate.
The expert continued: “It appears that what was once a blossoming friendship has now turned into something of a rift.”
The Beckhams’ documentary – released last October – had 208.5 million hours watched in 2023.
Meanwhile, Harry and Meghan had 72.9 million hours watched during the year, even though their show launched the year before and it’s normal for the show’s viewing figures to decline over time.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Netflix series was an instant hit when it premiered in December 2022.
The show was so popular that it was Netflix’s biggest debut at the time, with 81.6 million hours viewed in its first four days.
However, it appears that the initial furor quickly subsided.
This may have been due to fans hoping for a real insight into the show, but instead were frustrated with the couple being “whiny,” as some claimed.
Meanwhile, other viewers criticized Meghan for “mocking” having to curtsy to the late Queen.
In comparison, fans praised David for sharing honestly about his career and a series of comical scenes from family life went viral.
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