Claire Smith: Baby Beckham is lucky to have a mum like Victoria

SO FINALLY David and Victoria Beckham have a little girl to join their brood of boisterous boys, Brooklyn 11, Romeo, eight, and Cruz, five.Spokesman Simon Oliveira said on Twitter yesterday that the couple, who have long dreamed of having a girl, were "delighted".

No doubt the new arrival will be making headlines from day one. The first discussion will be about the choice of name, which, given the Beckhams' previous choices, is likely to be something unconventional and unique.

With a fashion-loving mother like Victoria we can soon expect to see an array of outfits to equal those of current reigning A-list mini-fashionista Suri Cruise – daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes.

Undoubtedly there will be articles about Victoria's figure – which we can expect to snap back into its usual whippet-like shape in unbelievably double quick time.

But it would be nice if the arrival of the much wanted girl also brought a bit of genuine public sympathy for the woman formerly known as Posh.

While the British public seem to be able to forgive her footballing husband anything, poor Victoria gets a rough ride.

She is criticised for not smiling enough, her passion for fashion is dismissed as trivial and her devotion to brand Beckham is seen as scheming rather than entrepreneurial.

Never mind that here is a woman who has held her family together through storms and scandals, who has stood by her man while creating her own success and who has tried to give her children as normal a life as possible.

While there are always plenty of pictures of Victoria Beckham at film premieres and fashion shows, you will also see her taking her boys to fancy dress parties, funfairs and sporting events.

She may have plenty of money, lots of help and a shoe cupboard the size of Kansas, but she is a hands-on mother devoted to her children.

Her new baby daughter will have everything money can buy – but she will also have a great role model in life.