David Beckham and Katherine Jenkins come face to face after furious email dig
David Beckham and Katherine Jenkins encountered one another at Wimbledon once more as the tournament commenced on Monday, nine years after the football icon's angry remarks about the Welsh vocalist being revealed. The former England, Manchester United and England star occupied a position in the Royal Box alongside his mother Sandra to observe the opening day of proceedings at SW19, with Jenkins and her husband Andrew Levitas positioned directly behind them. It has been two years since the footballer and mezzo-soprano experienced an awkward reunion in the same box, following the disclosure of Beckham's emails concerning her.
Following Jenkins being appointed as OBE in the New Years Honours in 2014 for her services to music and charity work - and Beckham being passed over for a knighthood - the former Three Lions captain lashed out at the outcome in an email to his adviser, which was later disclosed in 2017.
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
"Katherine Jenkins OBE for what?" The email read. "Singing at the rugby and going to see the troops plus taking coke. F***ing joke." Jenkins subsequently confessed to feeling wounded by Beckham's words, disclosing that the footballer never made contact to apologise, reports Wales Online.
"You're just minding your own business, and you get caught up in this massive storm," she told The Sun. "You just think, 'Aw, I wasn't doing anything'. To get caught up in that wasn't pleasant.
"I don't know why, again, that was aimed at me. I also don't feel the need to defend this, by the way. I know what I've done, and when I got the OBE, it was given to me for music and for charity.
"It's obviously disappointing. I've never heard anything from them about it. It doesn't matter. Priorities are my kids, my family, my singing, my charities and that's just white noise in the background."
Beckham's mention of 'coke' followed Jenkins having previously acknowledged taking illegal substances - including cocaine, ecstasy and MDMA - until she reached 23.
"I felt like I had to be honest, that was the thing," she said. "I look back and I think it was the right thing to do and I definitely don't regret talking about it. I think it was something that needed to be addressed."
The controversy emerged just over five years after Jenkins emphatically and publicly rejected claims of an affair with Beckham, following speculation that started circulating on social media.
Beckham, meanwhile, was ultimately knighted last year, in acknowledgement of his contributions to sport and charity.
Also present in the Royal Box on Monday was actor and playwright Sir Mark Rylance, television presenter Alexander Armstrong, singer Ronan Keating, food writer and chef Dame Mary Berry and former Strictly Come Dancing host Tess Daly.