OK so I need to spill some royal tea right now. The chess moves happening in celebrity-land are absolutely WILD these days, and nobody—I mean nobody—plays the alliance game better than Meghan Markle.
Remember when you thought Game of Thrones had complex power dynamics? Child's play compared to what's happening with the Sussexes right now.
There's an old saying about "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" and holy crap, is that playing out in real time. After getting completely iced out by Victoria and David Beckham, Harry and Meghan have made their next move crystal clear—and it's absolutely brilliant from a strategic standpoint.
They've befriended Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz.
Yeah. Let that sink in for a minute.
The Dinner Party That Changed Everything
Last week, the Sussexes hosted a super exclusive dinner at their Montecito mansion with just 18 other guests. The star attendees? Brooklyn and Nicola Peltz-Beckham. And the timing? Just days after Brooklyn and Nicola skipped David's massive 50th birthday bash in Miami. Coincidence? Not a chance in hell.
My friend who works with high-profile events in LA texted me immediately: "This is the most calculated power move I've seen in years." She's not wrong.
According to people close to the situation, the two couples "found a lot of common ground" during their evening together. Translation: they bonded over their shared family drama. Harry and Meghan offered their own experiences of royal family fallout as a sympathetic ear to Brooklyn and Nicola's Beckham troubles.
Why Meghan Needs This More Than You Think
Listen. Meghan is desperately trying to reestablish herself as a lifestyle guru right now. Since launching her brand As Ever (after that whole American Riviera Orchard trademark mess), she's been pushing hard on social media to position herself as teh ultimate domestic goddess and perfect mom.
But here's the thing—her A-list connections have been dropping like flies.
The Clooneys? Gone. Oprah? Distant. The Beckhams? Completely blacklisted them. Even Serena Williams seems to have cooled things off.
Meanwhile, her Netflix show "With Love, Meghan" couldn't attract any real star power beyond Mindy Kaling (and even that interaction was painfully awkward to watch).
So what's a struggling lifestyle brand founder to do? Find new allies with massive social media followings, obviously.
The Instagram Gold Mine
Brooklyn Beckham has 16.3 MILLION Instagram followers. Let that number sink in. Meghan? Just 2.9 million. That's not even close.
If Brooklyn posts just ONE story about Meghan's jam or shortbread or whatever she's selling this week, it would reach more eyes than anything she could do on her own platform.
And it's not just about numbers. Brooklyn and Nicola represent something Meghan desperately needs—relevance with younger audiences. They're the definition of Gen Z royalty (well, the nepo baby version anyway).
I watched Brooklyn's cooking videos last week out of curiosity. Are they good? God no. But does his audience eat it up? Absolutely.
The Original "Fab Four" Disaster
We can't talk about this new foursome without acknowledging the spectacular failure of the original "Fab Four"—Harry, Meghan, William and Kate.
Back in 2018, they seemed like the perfect royal squad, launching their Royal Foundation partnership with much fanfare. We all know how that ended... with Harry claiming William physically attacked him and Kate allegedly making Meghan cry over a flower girl dress.
Now they reportedly don't speak at all. Zero communication.
So Meghan's trying again with a new foursome. Different players, same game.
What's In It For Brooklyn and Nicola?
This isn't a one-sided relationship. Brooklyn and Nicola get something valuable too—legitimacy.
Despite their combined wealth and fame, they've struggled to be taken seriously. Brooklyn's been mocked relentlessly for his "chef" career (remember that $100 grilled cheese sandwich video? I spent $4K on camera equipment last year and even I could've shot something better).
Hanging with actual royalty—even exiled ones—gives them a certain gravitas they've been lacking.
Plus, they get to subtly stick it to David and Victoria. And from what I've heard through industry friends, that's exactly what they want right now.
The Beckham Cold War
The rift between the Beckhams and Sussexes started when Harry and Meghan accused Victoria of leaking stories about them to the press. The friendship died instantly.
Since then, David and Victoria have been cozying up to the royal family—attending events at Buckingham Palace and getting chummy with William. Kate even wore a Victoria Beckham suit recently. Message received loud and clear.
The Beckhams didn't invite Harry and Meghan to either of their massive 50th birthday celebrations, which included everyone from Tom Cruise to Eva Longoria.
That had to sting.
Will This Actually Work?
I'm skeptical, honestly.
Brand expert Nick Ede told The Sun: "Meghan is a very strategic player. She knows how to maximize her influence by associating herself with those who have more than her."
But here's my take—consumers aren't stupid. They want quality products, not just celebrity endorsements. Meghan's jam better taste amazing if she wants this to translate into actual business success.
And relationships formed primarily for mutual benefit tend to have expiration dates.
I've seen too many of these strategic Hollywood friendships flame out once they've served their purpose. (I feel stupid now for not seeing through some of the "besties forever" posts from celebs who now pretend they never knew each other.)
For now though, this unlikely quartet is the talk of Montecito. And maybe—just maybe—it'll give Meghan the boost she needs for As Ever to actually take off.
Time will tell if this new "Fab Four" has staying power or if it's just another calculated move in the celebrity chess game.
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- The royal family of Japan is the oldest continuing hereditary monarchy in the world, with a history that dates back over 1,500 years.
- According to surveys, 60% of people in Canada support maintaining the monarchy as part of their national identity.
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- In Spain, the monarchy was restored in 1975 after the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, and the current king, Felipe VI, ascended to the throne in 2014.
- The British Royal Family, one of the most recognized royal families, has an estimated annual expenditure of around £100 million.
- Royal weddings often attract massive global audiences, with the marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018 drawing an estimated 29 million viewers in the United States alone.
- Approximately 43 monarchies currently exist around the world, with varying degrees of power and influence.
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