Brooklyn Beckham wants out of the Beckham brand orbit — and out of the mythology that comes with being David and Victoria Beckham’s eldest son. But can laser work on old tattoos do the heavy emotional lifting he seems to need?
Last week, the 26-year-old was photographed in Los Angeles with his wife, Nicola Peltz. Fans noticed that his tattoo tribute to his father — a large anchor with the word “DAD” and the message “Love you, Bust” — appeared altered.
The word “dad” now appears to have been replaced with abstract shapes. Soon after, reports claimed that he had also removed tattoos dedicated to his siblings, Romeo, Cruz and Harper. His “mama’s boy” tattoo for Victoria Beckham had already been layered over last year with a floral design, which many believe references Nicola’s bridal bouquet.
In effect, Brooklyn appears to be slowly erasing his family from his skin.
Brooklyn Beckham extends family feud after posting a new snap showing he has covered up his “Dad” tattoo. 💔
Brooklyn replaced the “Dad” tattoo on his right arm with three small shapes.
However, he kept the words “Love you Bust” because “Buster” is the nickname his dad gave him. pic.twitter.com/1uq2xEZ9sX
— Pulse Nigeria (@PulseNigeria247) February 5, 2026
In January, Brooklyn released a six-page Instagram statement. In it, he detailed how his parents prioritized “Brand Beckham” over his well-being, tried to sabotage his marriage and even controlled press narratives.
He ended it with: “I do not want to reconcile with my family.”
On social media, some sympathized with a man born into fame, while others rolled their eyes at what they saw as another nepo-baby meltdown. Memes flourished as the Beckham family brand cracked in real time.
Now, we’re watching the Beckham family feud play out through tattoo removals. To be fair, tattoo removal often signals a desire for change. Psychologists say people remove ink when it no longer matches who they are. It can feel like reclaiming control over one’s own narrative. But removing a tattoo doesn’t erase the emotions that put it there in the first place.
Is that the part Brooklyn seems to be skipping?
Those tattoos didn’t appear out of nowhere. They were part of a need to anchor himself — literally — in a family whose fame was sometimes bigger than his sense of self. Scrubbing them off now may risk becoming another performance. And while one can cut contact and build a new life with a partner who offers safety, many of us still carry old patterns with us.
brooklyn beckham has covered his tattoo dedicated to his dad, david beckham, brooklyn’s anchor tattoo on his right arm once read “dad” in all capital letters in the center. however, and the script is now noticeably covered up with what appears to be a starfish and two life… pic.twitter.com/CZvXyecvkt
— 𝓕avs (@favspopculture) February 5, 2026
On the other side, David Beckham is posting throwbacks, while Romeo is getting “family” tattooed on his neck. Now is that healing either? Brooklyn (and his now-estranged family) has access to do real therapeutic work. But therapy will need them all to sit with the uncomfortable truth that everyone in their family system plays a role, including the one(s) who got hurt.
Do you think Brooklyn is ready to deal with what’s still there once the tattoos are gone?
