Victoria Beckham may have had headline billing in her recent self-titled Netflix documentary, but it was another member of the family who stole the show: her 14-year-old daughter Harper. The youngest Beckham child has been kept under wraps until now, but with several public appearances, and the potential launch of a beauty business in her name, it looks like Harper might be the sibling that most successfully follows in her famous parents’ footsteps.
In the first episode of the documentary, which launched this month, Harper – wearing a pink T-shirt and on-trend baggy jeans – teaches her mother a TikTok dance set to Chic’s Le Freak, and there is plenty of familiar teenage exasperation. When Victoria attempts to freestyle, Harper puts her head in her hands and groans “No, no! [You] need to do a dance move.” The social-media-savvy teen then shows her mum which filter she’s using for the video.
Harper also makes a glamorous appearance in the final episode, (appropriately) presenting a Harper’s Bazaar entrepreneur award to her mother in front of an audience at Claridge’s hotel (the ceremony took place last November, and was regarded as Harper’s “soft launch”). Harper admits she’s nervous, and pleats her silk slip dress while she talks. But her speech is both endearing – she jokes that it’s a school night – and significant, positioning Harper as the natural successor to her mother’s empire.
“It’s interesting that Harper appears in the documentary much more than the other Beckham children,” says Rachel Richardson, who writes the culture and trends newsletter Highly Flammable. Viewers certainly weren’t expecting to see oldest son Brooklyn, who is locked in a feud with his parents, but Harper has much more prominence than the couple’s other children, Cruz and Romeo, points out Richardson. “With the Beckhams, everything is a choice – so this seems very intentional. It speaks volumes about how they might be positioning her. I think Harper could be the one to take the Beckham brand forward.”
Although she doesn’t have her own public social media accounts, Harper does pop up on her parents’ channels. In May, Victoria shared a TikTok video of Harper confidently using Victoria’s beauty products on David, and even correcting her mother when she mistakenly calls the concealer contour.
Harper is also becoming a regular on Victoria Beckham Beauty’s Instagram. This summer, the business account posted several videos showing Harper applying her mother’s make-up products, while smiling and blowing kisses. With her long blonde hair, glowing skin, perfectly polished nails and ease in front of the camera, Harper looks like a seasoned beauty influencer.
Victoria clearly agrees. Speaking to The Telegraph in 2023, Victoria said, “[Harper’s] like a pro when it comes to putting on make-up”. And this month, she told the Mail on Sunday: “She’s got a little entrepreneurial head on her shoulders. She is a little mini-me.” Last year, while in New York to launch Victoria’s perfume Reverie, the family visited a sensory immersion exhibit where you write down your dreams. Harper’s wish was “to create an amazing brand when I’m older”.
So it’s unsurprising that her parents seem to be planning Harper’s possible career path already. This month, the name HIKU BY HARPER, and an accompanying logo, was filed under two UK trademark applications via H7B Limited, a business Victoria incorporated which presumably references her daughter’s name, Harper Seven Beckham.
“It’s an obvious choice given her mother has been so successful in the beauty industry, much more than in the fashion world,” says Richardson. “If Harper did want to start her own beauty line, Victoria already has the infrastructure in place: suppliers, production, advisers.”
Victoria might also recognise the benefits of such a venture, suggests Richardson. “Harper could appeal to a completely different, younger demographic. Victoria’s products are fantastic, but they’re also expensive – it’s something you’ll find in Selfridges rather than in Boots. But maybe Harper could put out products that are still decent quality but more affordable.”
It’s certainly a good time to expand in the beauty space: social media has led to a big spike in interest, especially among young people. “More and more brands are coming in – there’s an endless appetite,” says Richardson. “Kids see these high-end products on TikTok and they become must-haves. Lots of celebrities have done well with beauty brands, like Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber.”
If Harper wanted to differentiate her beauty line from her mother’s, she could start out with a “hero product”, says Richardson, which would appeal to teenagers, such as a serum or a lip product. However, Richardson thinks it would make sense to introduce Harper to the world before launching a line. “She’s a bit enigmatic still. We don’t really know who she is as a character. Kylie Jenner was only 18 when she began her beauty business, but people had watched her on TV [in reality series Keeping Up with the Kardashians] for years.”
Victoria told The Sun this month that Harper is “either going to be a beauty mogul or she’s going to be a stand-up – she’s hilarious.” In fact, some combination of the two would stand her in good stead.
Richardson believes you need real skill to become a beauty mogul, noting: “It’s a make-or-break world. TikTok influencers test your products immediately and bad reviews go viral.” However, you also need an engaging online presence to grow a following on social media and thus a market for your business. Wit and charm have certainly helped Harper’s parents succeed in their respective endeavours.
Of course, Harper has a built-in advantage thanks to her family’s name and connections. Her godmother is Hollywood actress Eva Longoria and, points out Richardson, “the Beckhams could ring up Anna Wintour any day of the week and set up a mother/daughter feature in Vogue to talk about their products. Harper wouldn’t have any problem drumming up interest.”
Yet conversely, there’s a definite backlash against clueless nepo babies. Harper’s older brothers have faced derision for their various failed enterprises, such as Brooklyn’s woeful photography book and cooking career. “I do think Harper will have seen all of that and learnt from their mistakes,” says Richardson. Victoria is clearly aware of this minefield. Speaking to The Sun, she said of the nepo-baby tag: “The kids are simply the kids of the parents. It’s not their fault. Give them a chance.”
Victoria also knows first-hand how much scrutiny young women in the public eye receive and speaks in the new documentary about the intense media focus on the Spice Girls and the anxiety it caused her. “It’s interesting hearing Victoria reflect on the scrutiny she received when she was a pop star – how hard it was to be a young woman in the limelight,” says Richardson. “She and David will likely be cautious about thrusting Harper forward.”
In 2022, Victoria told Vogue Australia: “Harper isn’t on social media, so we don’t need to worry about [body shaming] just yet.” But she worried about “how cruel people can be”. Victoria told the Mail on Sunday that she’d spoken to Harper about her struggles with an eating disorder, adding: “My wish for Harper is that she has a really healthy relationship with food.”
However, Victoria has also tried to instil a strong work ethic in Harper – she ensures she still does her homework alongside the make-up videos – and encourages her ambition. In 2018 at Forbes’ Women’s Summit, Victoria said of Harper: “She knows she can do everything and probably more than her brothers can. We talk about it a lot. She wants to be an inventor and she’s pretty proud of that. She’s a strong, smart woman.”
Could Harper be the Beckham to watch? Richardson thinks so. “I would buy stock in Harper,” she says. “That’s a good long-term bet.”
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