In the words of The Killers: 'It was only a kiss.'
However, David Beckham has learned that even a photograph of a loving peck shared between a father and daughter is never just that.
Last week, you'll have seen the father-of-four posted a picture of himself kissing his five-year-old daughter, Harper, on the lips to Instagram, while enjoying a family holiday in Africa.
The former Manchester United footballer captioned the adorable photograph: 'Kiss for Daddy', almost a year after his wife, Victoria Beckham, posted a similar photograph of herself smooching their daughter on her birthday.
Unfortunately, similar to his wife's public display of affection with her child, the 42-year-old has now come under fire from social media users for his behaviour with the couple's daughter, with some deeming the kiss 'weird' and 'wrong'.
One fan commented on the post: 'On the lips??? What has the world come to', while another wrote, 'not sure about this picture'.
However, hundreds of David's followers have jumped to his defence, praising the father for proudly showing off his beautiful relationship with his daughter.
One follower posted on the photograph: 'This is very sweet. And by no means inappropriate. Give me a break!! If more parents showed affection to their children and spent time with them like this, our world would be a much happier and more peaceful place!'
'My son kisses me on the lips and that is okay, if you don't feel comfortable kissing your kids on the lips then there might be some underlying issues that you need to deal with. Parents love is pure,' wrote another.
One fan added: 'The people who think this is sick really are the sick ones who think such a thing.'
Fortunately, Beckham – who recently opened up about last month's terror attack in Manchester hurting him 'as a father' – has kept the photo on his Instagram, along with a stream of other images of his daughter and four boys, (Brooklyn, Cruz and Romeo) to show he has no shame, embarrassment or regret about displaying love to his children.
Every parent-child relationship is different. Some families are more reserved and reluctant to show affection in the form of physical interaction, such as a hug or kiss. Others, meanwhile, may embrace a snuggle, tickle or lingering hug at the airport, the school gates or on the sofa in front of the television.
Who are we to judge the innocent way a parent and child show love for one another?
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
