Spice Girl Mel B has revealed her mum was left red-faced when she met Prince William for the first time, as she didn’t know how to greet him. Pour Moi ambassador Mel, 48, brought mum Andrea along when she was awarded an MBE for her services to charitable causes and vulnerable women, during an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace last year.
Reflecting on the “lovely” moment exclusively with Express.co.uk, she shared: “I’m a huge fan or Prince William, and remember I’ve known him since he was a young boy, and we made peanut butter and jam sandwiches in his kitchen at Kensington House. He told me how proud he was of me and that he never thought he’d be standing there pinning a medal to my chest for the work I’d done as Patron of Women’s Aid.”
How her mum dealt with meeting royalty however didn’t go quite to plan, as Mel explained: “He also met my mum who literally didn’t know what to do with herself, she was bright red in the face not knowing whether to curtsey or bob up and down.” Following the awkward moment, pictures from the day show Mel seemingly sharing a joke with William and later posing with her medal alongside her proud mum outside the ceremony.
Previously discussing the conversation she and the royal exchanged, Mel said William told her he was proud of her and also expressed sympathy for the “horrible time” she went through as a victim of domestic violence. The singer claims her ex-husband Stephen Belafonte subjected her to years of abuse during their 10-year marriage, which he has always denied.
For her special day, Mel stood out in a figure-hugging orange dress which featured a slit across the chest, designed by bandmate turned fashion designer Victoria Beckham. The racy part of the attire was just inches away from where the Prince of Wales placed her badge, which she apologised to him for.
Speaking on Live with Kelly and Ryan earlier this year, she spilled: “It was quite embarrassing, actually, because I didn’t realise the medal goes here on your chest. Victoria designed my dress for the occasion. And she put a big slit right there. And I was like “Oh, sorry!” She added: “Victoria knew. She knew!”
Mel counts receiving an MBE as one of her “treasured” memories, alongside many other highlights including Spice Girls’ reunion tour in 2019, meeting the likes of Kier Starmer and Queen Camilla to discuss domestic violence and releasing her book Brutally Honest.
The America’s Got Talent judge first crossed paths with royalty in the early stages of Spice Girls’ fame in the 1990s. Alongside Mel C, Emma Bunton, Victoria Beckham and Geri Halliwell, the group met Prince Charles, now King, and the parties had quite the exchange. In a cheeky mood at the time, Mel shook Charles’ hand and didn’t hesitate to ask him if they could be his dinner guests.
Seconds later, she leaned in to kiss the royal on the cheek leaving her lipstick smudged on his face. The band also dedicated their MTV Music Video Award to Princess Diana as part of their speech following her death in 1997.
Mel is the face of Pour Moi’s Own Your Confidence campaign. The Spice Girl said it was a no-brainer to sign up and encourage others to embrace their bodies, following her own tough journey which “totally eroded” her confidence.
She shared: “Doing this campaign made absolute sense to me. Body confidence whatever shape or size you are is a huge thing for a woman. Pour Moi are all about embracing your size and shape and celebrating it. They were also happy to give a percentage of profits to Women’s Aid, I’ve been Patron for five years now and it’s so important to me. I love the message of owning your confidence. Own it, keep it and don’t let anyone take your confidence away.”
Pour Moi, who recently opened their new store in Mel’s hometown Leeds, have a range of lingerie, clothing, nightwear and sportswear styles for every moment. Along with Mel and her daughter Phoenix, the brand vow to show just how much the power of wearing comfortable, luxurious and perfectly fitting items can improve your day. For more information, click here.
