David and Victoria Beckham are suing their former nanny for telling a tabloid newspaper that their marriage was on the rocks, a spokeswoman for the couple said Tuesday.
A story alleging the Beckhams were having marital troubles was published Sunday in the News of the World, which cited the couple’s former nanny, Abbie Gibson.
Spokeswoman Jo Milloy said the Beckhams were suing Gibson for breach of confidence. Gibson quit her job earlier this month after working for the couple since October 2003.
Milloy said the Beckhams would also launch legal action against News of the World. The celebrity couple are already suing the newspaper over the publication last year of details of an alleged affair between the soccer star and his personal assistant Rebecca Loos.
Beckham, captain of the England national team, plays for Spanish club Real Madrid. His wife is a former pop star and member of the Spice Girls.
On Saturday, the Beckhams attempted to get a court order barring the News of the World from publishing their former nanny’s allegations.
Lawyers for the Beckhams argued that Gibson’s contract included a promise not to speak about the couple’s private lives.
But the paper said a High Court judge ruled in its favor on grounds that the story was in the public interest.
Spokeswoman for News of the World, Hayley Barlow, said the paper was surprised the Beckhams were launching legal proceedings in light of the judge’s decision.
“The News of the World will vigorously defend any such action,” Barlow said.