Victoria Beckham recently reminisced about a cherished family moment featuring her husband, David Beckham, and their three sons—Brooklyn, Romeo, and Cruz—amidst ongoing family challenges.

On Thursday, January 22, photographer Platon Antoniou took to Instagram to share a nostalgic series of images from a 2006 photoshoot with David, who is now 50.

“In 2006, I traveled to Madrid to capture David Beckham,” Antoniou recounted. “At the time, he was playing for REAL MADRID and had become one of the world’s most renowned superstars. That day, his family paid a visit. Victoria arrived with Brooklyn, who was seven, Romeo, who was four, and Cruz, still a baby,” he added.

“Brooklyn and Romeo stormed into the studio clad in football gear, showcasing their skills with balls, headers, and tricks,” Antoniou continued. “While Victoria attended to the children, I commenced my work with David. Suddenly, Brooklyn dashed onto the set, football in hand, and embraced his father’s leg. Romeo soon followed his brother’s lead. Shortly afterward, Victoria joined them, cradling baby Cruz. The entire family turned away for a tender, private group hug. It was a moving sight—this spontaneous show of love amidst a bustling photography set with 60 onlookers. Celebrity status often comes with a heavy burden, and it’s frequently the family who shares in that weight,” he observed.

David and Victoria Beckham, who wed in 1999, began growing their family that same year and have shared their parenting journey with the public ever since.

Antoniou noted that “to see this tenderness was very moving,” adding that he “knew it would make a beautiful picture, especially as this famous family [was] not facing my camera.”

“But my portraits are always collaborative and I never feel comfortable stealing a moment,” he wrote. “If I had taken a single frame, it would have betrayed trust and invaded privacy. So, I put down my camera and took a picture only with my eyes.”

Antoniou continued, “After the session, I approached Victoria and asked if we could recreate the family embrace I had seen from my perspective. She gently smiled and said, ‘Thank you for not taking that picture earlier. Today, I’m not here as a celebrity, I’m here as a mother. I hope you don’t mind if I respectfully pass.’”

Antoniou shared that he found Victoria’s “human response dignified and sincere.”

Victoria and David Beckham reunited with their kids for a sun-filled adventure — minus son Brooklyn Beckham. In a carousel of images shared via Instagram on Sunday, August 10, Victoria, 51, gave a soft smile for the cameras as she sat beside son Cruz, 20, aboard a yacht. In another image, Cruz juggled a soccer […]

“Then, sensing my slight disappointment Victoria said, ‘But David will do a back shot.’ So, I photographed David on his own facing away – a man stripped bare, no belt, no designer shirt, no fancy watch,” he wrote.

Alongside the message, Antoniou shared a black-and-white photo of David shirtless and facing away from the camera, with his “Brooklyn” and “Romeo” and “Cruz” tattoos visible as he rocked a pair of jeans. (David and Victoria, 51, also share daughter Harper Seven, 14.)

In another image, David turned his head half-way toward the camera and stared off in the distance.

“I’m normally drawn to eyes, but when we can’t see the face we search for other clues that may reveal someone’s humanity,” he concluded. “In this picture, although David stands alone, we see the love of his children tattooed onto his back. Family is everything. David Beckham, I salute you.”

David and Victoria Beckham shared gorgeous photos from the retired soccer star’s 50th birthday party — and their son Brooklyn was notably absent. “Creating special memories with family and friends. We love you all ❤️,” David, 50, and Victoria, 51, captioned a joint Instagram post on Sunday, May 4, tagging sons Romeo and Cruz and […]

In the comments section, Victoria wrote, “Brings back great memories! ❤️.”

The post comes days after Brooklyn, 26, made headlines when he broke his silence on his ongoing feud with his parents in a lengthy social media statement. In the upload, Brooklyn shared that he does “not want to reconcile” with his family and alleged that his parents have been “trying endlessly to ruin [his] relationship” with wife Nicola Peltz Beckham. (Us Weekly reached out to reps for David and Victoria at the time.)

“I have been controlled by my parents for most of my life,” he wrote via his Instagram Story on Monday, January 19. “I grew up with overwhelming anxiety. For the first time in my life, since stepping away from my family, that anxiety has disappeared. I wake up every morning grateful for the life I chose, and have found peace and relief. My wife and I do not want a life shaped by image, press, or manipulation. All we want peace, privacy and happiness for us and our future family.”