Family feuds, ambitious wives, and media obsession—Britain’s new “royals,” the Beckhams, are dominating the us celebrity scene just as the Sussex sparkle fades

For years, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle captivated American media with their royal rebellion, lucrative deals, and tabloid-fuelled feuds. But with Sussex fatigue setting in, a new British family dynasty is quietly seizing the spotlight across the Atlantic: the Beckhams.

More specifically, it’s Brooklyn Peltz Beckham and his billionaire heiress wife Nicola Peltz who have taken centre stage. They’ve not only commandeered magazine covers but also, it seems, the royal template—complete with inter-family tension, strategic media moves, and an unrelenting spotlight.

The similarities to Harry and Meghan are uncanny. There’s the famous British son and the American actor wife. There are rumours of frosty relations between wife and in-laws—David and Victoria allegedly weren’t thrilled with Nicola from the start. Reports suggest Victoria even sabotaged Nicola’s wedding dress plans. Adding fuel to the fire, Brooklyn reportedly missed all three of David Beckham’s recent 50th birthday celebrations. Gossip pages are now bursting with speculation about a feud between Brooklyn and his younger brother Romeo, who’s dating one of Brooklyn’s exes.

Much like Harry and Meghan’s bombshell Oprah interview, the Peltz Beckhams have been dropping drama-laced tidbits into the public domain. Glamour magazine just declared them “the world’s most talked-about couple.” The buzz hasn’t all been positive—Brooklyn, who now runs an artisanal hot sauce business, is widely mocked for his vague career ambitions and his tattoo collection, which includes over 70 tributes to Nicola, one of which simply reads “married.” Asked why, he told USA Today, “I kind of was just like, ‘Oh, we’re married, why not?’”

Nicola, a filmmaker and actor whose most high-profile credit came courtesy of her father’s influence on The Last Airbender, has also faced scepticism. Wikipedia even notes her casting came “at the insistence of her father,” a subtle but scathing footnote in her career.

Meanwhile, Meghan is rebranding As Ever, her lifestyle jam venture, into a media-commerce hybrid “where content and commerce meet, not in a product placement way, but rather in an ideological way.” As one columnist quipped, that ideology appears to be capitalism.

Her husband, Harry—now dabbling in identity crises—reportedly considered dropping his royal surname in favour of “Spencer,” a tribute to his late mother and perhaps a final snub to the Windsor brand. The pair’s Netflix series fizzled, their bombshells have grown stale, and their once-dominant media presence is now noticeably muted.

In a curious full-circle moment, it’s rumoured the Peltz Beckhams recently dined with the Sussexes in Montecito. “Nicola and Meghan had a bit of a deep’n’meaningful,” a source told The Sun, claiming both women commiserated over being painted as manipulative outsiders. The couples reportedly bonded over shared PR woes and even share legal representation—the Peltz Beckhams have now hired a reputation management expert who previously worked with the Sussexes.

While Brooklyn and Nicola seem eager to emulate the Sussex saga, one observer cheekily suggested Harry take notes from Brooklyn instead. Rather than becoming “Spencer,” why not rebrand entirely as Harry Markle? Toss in a few tattoos of Meghan for good measure—sure to wind up his critics.

From Montecito jam jars to Hollywood hot sauce, Britain’s export of dynastic drama seems far from over. But the royal baton of tabloid supremacy may have officially passed from Windsor to Beckham.