David Beckham has had a close relationship with the Royal Family for many years, so it comes as no surprise that he teamed up with Prince William to celebrate the London Air Ambulance Charity’s successful multimillion-pound appeal.
Chatting, sharing jokes and posing for photos it was obvious that the pair are good friends.
They warmly greeted one another and shared jokes while learning about the two new helicopters that were purchased after the Up Against Time appeal raised an incredible £16 million.
William, 42, the charity’s patron, had asked Beckham to get involved with part of the fundraising efforts and invited the football star along today to thank him for his support.
The two men have become more than mere acquaintances over the years, with the pair spending time together at the BAFTAs in February and attending various football games together.
In August he appeared in the Prince and Princess of Wales’s video congratulating Team GB after the Paris 2024 Olympics and has previously teamed up with some of their campaigns.
Two years ago David joined the couple at the Earthshot prize awards in Boston and in 2020 the celebrity joined the prince on a video call to discuss mental health in football, as part of the royal’s Heads Up campaign.
William isn’t the only royal the footballer has forged close ties with over the years, as he’s recently become an ambassador of The King’s Foundation.
And lets not forget that he queued for 13 hours to see the late Queen lying in state at Westminster Hall – when he could have easily skipped the queue like other famous faces.
Beckham has also been close with Prince Harry, attending his wedding to Meghan Markle in 2018 (having attended William and Kate’s in 2011) and flying to Sydney to support the Invictus Games in 2018.
Their relationship has reportedly broken down in recent years, and much will be made of the timing of William and David’s joint engagement today.
Last night, Prince Harry attended the WellChild Awards in London, which honours the achievements of children battling serious conditions.
It marks his fourth trip back to the UK this year but as with so many of his other whistlestop trips, he has not met up with any of his family and is not expected to.
So it’s perhaps a kick in the teeth for the estranged Duke that just over 12 hours after his glitzy awards evening, his brother is posing for photos with his former close friend.
Just four years ago Beckham appeared to stand by the Sussex’s decision to step down as senior working royals, telling Entertainment Tonight: “We love him and he’s an amazing person — and that’s the most important thing — but I’m proud to see him growing up as an individual and being that person that every father wants to be.”
But since then two couples are not believed to be on speaking terms, over accusations of press leaks and the Beckhams taking offence to their public attacks against the Royal Family.
In recent years David has forged only closer ties with William and the King, subtly asserting where his loyalties lie in the enduring feud between the Sussexes and the Firm.
Today appears no different, with Beckham showing the public – and Harry – who’s side he’s on.
It appears the former footballer is no longer in the middle of two warring brothers, and is instead aligning himself with those who continue to support crown and country.