While the majority of us have spent much of this week sitting in darkness, our windows draped in old towels in a fruitless attempt to stave away the blistering 40 degree heat, Victoria and David Beckham have been sailing the mediterranean with their two youngest children Cruz, 17, and Harper, 11.
Not unexpected, the Beckhams are known for their love of lavish holidays, yachts and rich friends with ample holiday homes. What is unexpected, however, is their friendship with Sarah Ferguson, who they bumped into at Lo Scoglio da Tommaso restaurant in Amalfi on Monday.
The couple were pictured bumping into the Duchess of York, who was lunching at the prestigious seaside restaurant on the Amalfi Coast, and exchanging more than polite pleasantries, with famously reserved Victoria leaning in to kiss the duchess in greeting, while David beamed from ear to ear.
It transpires that the Beckhams have had more than just a passing acquaintance with the Duchess of York, and according to The Daily Mail, Prince Andrew’s ex-wife hosted a tea party at Buckingham Palace for Harper’s seventh birthday in 2017.
But this isn’t the only unexpected celebrity friendship to pop out of the woodwork over the years. We’ve rounded up some of the most surprising BFFs to see the light of day over the years.
Courteney Cox and Ed Sheeran
The British pop star and the iconic Friends actress seem unlikely friends on the surface. According to Sheeran, 31 they struck up a bond after a mutual friend invited the Suffolk-native to a party at 58-year-old Cox’s house.
Sheeran told James Cordan on The Late Late Show that the very accommodating host had let him stay the night after the party. “She was like, “Anytime you want to stay, let me know,” Sheeran said. “And then literally every single time I’ve been back to Los Angeles since then, I’ve stayed there.”
Russell Brand and Helen Mirren
The Oscar-winning actress and comedian met on the set of the 2009 film The Tempest, where they formed a fast friendship.
Several years later Mirren gave an interview to BBC America, where she spoke of her unlikely chum, saying: “The thing about him is he likes women, and not a lot of men do. That’s why women like him. He’s genuinely interested in us. Women melt in his presence,” she said.
Selena Gomez and Jennifer Aniston
Despite their 24-year age difference, these two American stars have formulated a special bond since their first meeting in the toilet at a Vanity Fair party. Gomez, 29, said of their first meeting: “My heart stopped and I freaked out and I ran to my mom”. Since then, Aniston and Gomez, who share the same manager, have become fast-friends, with Aniston saying: “She’s just like a little cherub that I feel like I wanna take care of”.
Eminem and Elton John
This next unlikely friendship began after the pair performed Eminem’s single Stan at the 2001 Grammy Awards. Their relationship blossomed after Eminem, aka Marshall Mathers, relied on Elton for support during his sobriety journey, and Elton revealed in his Me memoir that he is the rapper’s sponsor in the 12 Steps program.
The duo explained the depth of their bond in a joint interview for Interview Magazine, with John stating how “proud” he was of the rapper during the conversation. “I’m just so proud of you…You’ve worked so hard on yourself, and no one deserves this more than you, Marshall, and I love you from a long way away, okay?” To which Eminem responds: “Thank you, Elton. I love you, too.”
Snoop Dog and Martha Stewart
One of the most bizarre friendships on this list, Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart first met in 2008 on The Martha Stewart Show and got on like a house on fire. The 80-year-old chef and the 50-year-old rapper even made a TV show together, Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party!
Speaking to Rolling Stone in 2016, Snoop Dogg said: “I’ve never met anyone like Martha Stewart. When we come together, it’s a natural combination of love, peace, and harmony.”
Mila Kunis and Princess Beatrice
These two seemingly have nothing in common, with Kunis being raised in LA to Ukrainian immigrant parents and Princess Eugenie brought up in the UK 10th in line to the British throne. The unlikely pals met through Beatrice’s ex-boyfriend Dave Clark, who worked for Uber, while Ashton Kutcher was an early investor in the ride-sharing app and the couples hit it off.
The couples reunited for a holiday together in St Tropez in 2013 and again for Kunis’ 32nd birthday in 2015 in New York.
Gigi Hadid and Gordon Ramsay
Surely the most random friendship on this list: the Gen Z supermodel and famously potty-mouthed chef Ramsay, 55. The pair met in 2015, when Hadid featured as a contestant on Masterchef US, while Ramsey was a judge. The typically critical chef gushed about Hadid’s culinary prowess, saying: “She has one of the most articulated palates on the planet.”
Since then the pair have kept in touch, with Hadid often sending pictures of her dishes to Ramsay via Instagram DM. Speaking to People Magazine, Ramsay said, “My daughters, they love me. It’s not because I’m a f*****g good chef. They love me because I talk to Gigi Hadid. That’s the only reason why they want to talk to me.”
Jennifer Lawrence and Kris Jenner
Lawrence, a long term Keeping up with the Kardashians fan, was introduced to the OG Momager Kris Jenner, after a member of her team asked Jenner to surprise Lawrence on her birthday. Jenner agreed, naturally. “When I walked out with this cake, she was so excited, and we’ve had this little texting friendship from then on.”
Their friendship soon blossomed, with Jenner inviting Lawrence over for a wild dinner at her house, and the pair consumed one too many cocktails, to Kim’s disapproval: “I’ve never seen my mom more drunk in our lives…It was so funny. They had a few too many drinks for my taste.” Since then, Jenner has said she sees the 31-year-old as a pseudo daughter. “She’s like one of my kids. I’m so blessed to have her in my life.”
