Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Tory Shepherd

A ‘silent epidemic’ of family estrangement is on the rise – even if your parents are not Beckhams

David Beckham (left), Victoria Beckham and Brooklyn Beckham arriving at the GQ Men of the Year Awards 2019.
David and Victoria Beckham in 2019, with their son Brooklyn Beckham, who confirmed this week that he was now estranged from his parents. Photograph: Matt Crossick/PA

“One day she just stopped answering my messages,” Vanessa says, as she talks about the confusion and heartbreak of losing contact with an adult child.

Unlike the Beckhams – whose simmering spat exploded into the headlines this week – Vanessa does not want to go public with her estrangement from her children.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.