Recent events have sparked questions regarding the ownership of Brooklyn Beckham’s name following tensions with his well-known family.
Brooklyn has reportedly distanced himself from his parents and siblings after marrying Nicola Peltz in 2022.
Rumors about a rift circulated for some time, but it was only officially acknowledged on Monday (January 19) when Brooklyn, now 26, released a statement addressing the issue.
Brooklyn has expressed no desire to mend relations with his parents, which might present challenges if he wishes to engage in commercial activities using his legal name.
As reported by The Times, Victoria Beckham trademarked her children’s names, including Brooklyn’s, back in December 2016, thereby retaining the rights to his name.
According to the Intellectual Property Office (IPO), a trademark serves as a unique identifier that distinguishes products and services from competitors, safeguarding a name or brand from unauthorized use by other businesses.
If Brooklyn, an aspiring chef, were to launch a cookware line under the Brooklyn Beckham name, he would need permission from his mother.
The Independent notes that the trademark is due for renewal in December 2026, offering Brooklyn a potential opportunity to reclaim the rights if Victoria opts not to renew it.
Should his mother decide to renew, Brooklyn might face additional hurdles.
Alex Taylor, a partner specializing in Intellectual Property, Commercial, and Technology at Withers, elaborated on the process for Brooklyn to regain these rights.
He stated: “The resolution largely depends on Victoria’s willingness to enter into a co-existence agreement or grant a license. This approach seems straightforward if they wish to maintain a future relationship.”
“Conversely, if there is true discord and Victoria and David wish to retain control over the name for its future value, challenges could arise.”
Taylor noted that legal proceedings would be ‘difficult’ and ‘costly’ if Brooklyn’s parents aim to keep the rights.
If Brooklyn sought to reclaim the rights and Victoria declined, a hearing would ensue.
Nick Aries, an intellectual property partner at Bird & Bird, suggested that there might be grounds to contest the registrations if deemed misleading.
Additionally, there could have been a clause in the trademark agreement specifying that Victoria owned the rights only until Brooklyn turned 18. However, reports indicate he was approximately 18 when she secured the rights.
In a detailed Instagram Story earlier this week, Brooklyn accused his parents of ‘controlling’ him and stated his desire to stand up for himself.
“I do not want to reconcile with my family. I’m not being controlled, I’m standing up for myself for the first time in my life. For my entire life, my parents have controlled narratives in the press about our family,” he wrote.
Attempts were made to reach the Beckhams for their comments.