Serious Spice: Victoria Beckham rubs shoulders with political heavyweights at Women's Conference

By Andrea Magrath



Listening intently: Victoria Beckham attended The Women's Conference, hosted by First Lady of California Maria Shriver, in Long Beach yesterday


She may be the biggest star in the room back home in the UK, but when she attended The Women's Conference in California yesterday, Victoria Beckham was easily eclipsed.

Nestled at her table among thousands of guests, the designer listened intently as the likes of First Lady Michelle Obama, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Oprah and former US First Lady Laura Bush took to the stage.

Dressed in a red dress from her A/W 2010 collection, Victoria appeared enraptured by the A-listers as they discussed topics with an over-arching theme that she knows a little something about - Girl Power.

The conference was a drastic change from her fun-filled night before Tuesday's event. The 36-year-old and husband David and their three sons Brooklyn, 11, Romeo, 8, and Cruz, 5, were spotted at the Justin Bieber concert at the Staples Centre in LA on Monday night.

Onlookers say the family, who watched from a private box, looked like they were 'having the time of their lives' and that the three boys were decked out in Bieber merchandise.

The family's attendance at the concert may have been part of a deal offered by the 16-year-old superstar back in August.


This is my serious face: The designer rubbed shoulders with political A-listers including First Lady Michelle Obama and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger



From Bieber to Obama: Victoria was spotted at the Justin Bieber concert the night before in LA with her family


The Baby singer, desperate for football lessons from 35-year-old David, offered a concert in exchange.

'I am sure he would do anything to make his three boys happy and if I am their favourite artist I would happily come and put on a private show at the Beckham household.

He told the Sun: 'All I would ask for in return is that we go into his yard for an hour afterwards and he teaches me all those crazy things he can do with a soccer ball.'


Nerves? Mrs Beckham, who carried a bag of her own design, looked serious at the event and was perhaps a little overwhelmed in the company of Oprah and Michelle Obama


And while Victoria attended The Women's Conference the next day, David and the Canadian teen heartthrob watched the LA Lakers game from the front row, chatting animatedly between plays.

The three-day event, hosted by First Lady of California Maria Shriver, invited over 150 influential speakers to give talks to 30,000 guests in Long Beach.

The forum 'is the nation’s premier forum for women, empowering women to be Architects of Change in their own lives, their communities and the world.'

This year's theme was 'It’s Time', 'A call to action to inspire women to see this challenging moment in history as an opportunity to come together and transform ourselves, our communities and our world.


First Ladies: Michelle Obama and Maria Shriver, event organiser and wife of Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger on stage during the event



High-powered: Former First Lady Laura Bush also spoke at the conference


Arnold Schwarzenegger hosted candidates to take over his position as Governor when he leaves office next week. The Republican 63-year-old, who has refused to back either the Republican candidate Meg Whitman or Democrat Jerry Brown, has hinted at a possible return to films.

Schwarzenegger revealed that he recently met with director James Cameron but wouldn't give further details. He said: 'It depends. Will I still have the patience to sit on the set and do a movie for three months? I don't know.'

The Governor is ending his run with only a 22 percent approval rating with Californians.


Empowering women: Shriver pictured with Oprah, who wore a Victoria Beckham dress, at the three day event, where '150 speakers come together with 30,000 women to be educated, inspired and empowered'



Governor race: Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is due to leave office next week, with the two candidates to replace him, Republican Meg Whitman and Democrat Jerry Brown, has hinted at a return to film


Another guest at the forum, who seemed at odds with the rest of the powerful speakers, was Jessica Simpson.

The singer opened up about her dieting to host Maria Shriver.

She admitted to being an emotional eater, saying: 'When I'm sad, I want to eat, but when I'm happy, I don't really think about it.'

But she said she didn't stick rigidly to calorie counting.


'The happiest I've ever been': Jessica Simpson talks to California first lady Maria Shriver onstage during the Women's Conference


'When I'm hungry I'll eat. When I'm not hungry, I won't,' she said.

'I'm not that much of a calorie counter, but I do think about it. I'm from Texas, so I love everything fried. I'll give myself a cheat day every week.'
And she said she tried not to deny herself too much.

'I believe it's important to not say, "I can't have this." I think there's ways to do things in moderation ... you definitely have to eat things you love.'

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Pals: David Beckham, who attended the Justin Bieber concert in LA the night before with Victoria and their boys, chats to the superstar at last night's LA Lakers game


source:dailymail