Victoria Beckham Reveals She Was Bullied As a Child—and Is Urging 12-Year-Old Daughter Harper to “Be the Kindest in the Classroom”

“I’m so proud to raise a strong and caring daughter!”

Victoria and Harper Beckham
(Image credit: Instagram)

Victoria Beckham is today one of the most glamorous, celebrated women in the world, but there was a time when she was bullied frequently at school—and is teaching her youngest child and only daughter Harper the power of kindness.

Yesterday, Beckham shared a series of photos with Harper on her Instagram that celebrated Anti Bullying Week. In an added video, per People, Beckham addressed her own bullying story, which she also spoke about in the caption. “BE THE KINDEST IN THE CLASSROOM!” she wrote. “I’m so proud to raise a strong and caring daughter!” 

Harper Beckham has her 12th birthday party at Prada Caffe at Harrods in London

(Image credit: Victoria Beckham)

She added “Growing up I was bullied a lot at school, and I often tell Harper how important it is to be kind and call out if anyone is ever bullied—especially if there’s ever another little girl on her own in the playground, because that was once her mummy!”

Victoria Beckham photographed on the street

(Image credit: Getty)

Victoria Beckham

(Image credit: Getty)

Beckham—who is also mom to sons Brooklyn, Romeo, and Cruz—closed her post by writing “This #AntiBullyingWeek it’s so important not to be silent if someone is alone or being bullied. xx Kisses #HarperSeven I love you so much xx.”

Rachel Burchfield
Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor

Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.