Did the Beckhams really pay off a couple’s mortgage to hire Gleneagles?

Gleneagles Hotel is no stranger to celebrities.

The five-star venue has long been associated with the wealthy and famous thanks to its world-famous golf course, high-end restaurants and spectacular countryside setting.

Rumours have been rife that David and Victoria Beckham are the latest A-listers to have spent time at the Perthshire hotel – with speculation they paid an Aberdeen couple to move their booking.

The story has been doing the rounds by word of mouth and on social media for weeks – here, we examine whether it holds any truth.

What is the Beckham mortgage rumour?

The rumour goes as follows.

The Beckhams wanted to celebrate Victoria’s 50th in April at Gleneagles Hotel.

But the venue was already booked for a wedding on the date they wanted.

Desperate to get their way, they asked the couple with the booking if they would move to another date.

After some negotiation, the Beckhams agreed to pay off the couple’s mortgage in exchange for moving their booking – leaving Gleneagles free for their swanky bash.

Where has the Beckhams Gleneagles rumour come from?

In recent weeks, the rumour has made its way to several journalists via family and friends who have heard it through word of mouth.

It started to gather pace when Victoria turned 50 on April 17.

But the rumour was also discussed on a recent episode of the popular Glasgow podcast Girls Overheard.

In a clip shared by the podcast on Instagram, which has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times, the hosts look on in shock as the Beckhams at Gleneagles rumour is relayed to them by a fan.

One of the hosts then claims: “There’s no smoke without fire.”

Reports of a heavy police presence around Gleneagles this week only served to add fuel to that fire.

Is there any truth in the Beckhams Gleneagles story?

Only David and Victoria Beckham, and Gleneagles Hotel, can say with certainty whether they have ever used the venue for a celebration – and if any money has changed hands with another couple.

But dozens of versions of the same rumour have been circling for more than 20 years.

And it would appear to be nothing more than an urban myth.

Fact-checking website Snopes published an article as far back as February 2003, branding the rumour untrue.

Gleneagles featured in the rumour as early as 2007.

One entry on a pet forum from that year – one of the top Google search results on the topic – read: “Imagine David Beckham paying off your mortgage!”

The best gift to be reunited!! Thank you to all my friends and family for celebrating with me. Kisses! xxx pic.twitter.com/pjMQVSqNBQ

— Victoria Beckham (@victoriabeckham) April 22, 2024

It claimed the poster’s friend’s aunt and uncle had booked a room at Gleneagles for their wedding anniversary where, after some toing and froing, they received an offer from the Beckhams to pay off their mortgage in exchange for moving dates.

Sound familiar?

In 2011, The Herald newspaper moved to clear up similar speculation about a hotel at Loch Lomond.

That rumour followed the same formula: the Beckhams wanted to book Cameron House for the christening of one of their children – and to do so, they paid off the mortgage of the couple to move their booking.

A spokeswoman for Cameron House said at the time: “It’s absolutely not true.”

Then in 2018, another Tayside venue – Carnoustie – was at the centre of the Beckhams rumour.

Daily Mail Australia ran a story about claims that the Beckhams had paid an Australian Football League star’s $280,000 mortgage off, in exchange for his hotel suite overlooking the golf course during The Open.

It was claimed the Beckhams paid off a fellow sports star’s mortgage to attend The Open at Carnoustie in 2018. Image: PA/TheOpen.comA spokesperson for the Beckhams was quoted as saying: “I have no idea where this story has come from. It’s not true and very bizarre.

“The family are away on summer holiday and not attending the British Open.”

The most obvious proof that the latest Gleneagles rumour is false, though, is in the fact that Victoria celebrated her 50th at a much-publicised party in London – featuring a Spice Girls reunion.

It was also reported that the Beckham family enjoyed a trip to France to mark the occasion.

However, that has not stopped some from speculating that the couple are actually heading for Gleneagles in May 2025 – to celebrate David’s 50th.

What have the Beckhams and Gleneagles said about the rumour?

Asked if they could put the rumour to bed once and for all, a spokesperson for Gleneagles Hotel told The Courier: “We don’t provide commentary about guests who come to stay, be that relating to real events or urban myths.

“Our team go above and beyond to create exceptional experiences for every single guest who comes to Gleneagles.

“Our expertise is definitely not in mortgages.”

We have contacted representatives of the Beckhams for comment.