It would be hard to find a celebrity dad as protective of his young daughter as David Beckham, but his refusal to accept that little Harper is growing up is causing all sorts of problems at home with his wife, Victoria!
For Harper’s milestone 13th birthday recently, the retired football star went all out with a wholesome family holiday in Sardinia and a private party on their yacht. But just days earlier, Harper showed she’s outgrown the girlie balloons when she was spotted at a festival in London without her parents to accompany her.
“David really is doing his best, but he’s not coping at all with his little girl growing up,” an insider says. “Victoria’s trying to be patient with his protective papa bear thing, but getting him in line with the next phase in their daughter’s life is proving impossible. It’s putting a wedge between her and David and one of the biggest disagreements they have right now is over Harper’s independence.”
OVERPROTECTIVE BECKS
The tension apparently came to a head recently when his newly teenage daughter begged her parents to go to BST Hyde Park with her friends – a request that shocked her already worried dad.
“It was just another sign that she’s no longer Daddy’s little girl, which is breaking his heart,” the source says. “He was a nervous wreck the whole time she was at that gig. And Victoria had to stop him from texting Harper! But she’s pointed out that he will only push her away if he keeps her wrapped up in cotton wool.”
Last year, David, 49, got emotional about his daughter “growing up”, jokingly telling his older sons Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz to “get ready” to protect her from any unwanted attention. But the source says even the thought of Harper dating is terrifying for David and he’s in “complete denial” about it, despite his sons having dated from a relatively young age.
“He knows he’s asking for different rules than what he had for the boys, but he doesn’t care,” the source says. “His job is to protect his baby girl and as a man who’s had his fair share of partying when he was younger, he is not going to throw her to the wolves.”
LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTER
Making the situation even harder for David is the fact his designer wife Victoria, 50, is able to see the optimistic side to Harper getting older, including being able to glam up and enjoy all things fashion and beauty with her mini-me!
“He’s worried about someone hurting her and how innocent she still is, but Victoria sees a different side to it,” the insider adds.
“She’s excited about Harper going through new stages and champions her love of fashion. Victoria’s already her unofficial stylist, which has become a sore point for David – he thinks she’s encouraging Harper to dress older than she is.”
