‘I’ll never forget the time the Spice Girls kissed The King!’
Imet The King in 1997 at a gala to celebrate the 21st anniversary of his charity, The Prince’s Trust. I was there with the four other Spice Girls to support the organisation as ambassadors, and it soon became an iconic moment in Spice Girls history, because the girls went up to the then Prince of Wales and kissed him on the cheeks, leaving lipstick marks. Geri even patted his bottom!
At the time I was more shy, so I was slightly cringing. We were nervous to be meeting royalty, but in true Spice Girls style, we broke protocol and definitely raised a few eyebrows! I remember Charles was warm and good fun, taking it all in his stride – and it somehow feels even more poignant now that he’s King.
That moment began our friendship with The King. It was a very natural fit for the Spice Girls and The Prince’s Trust to work together, as all five of us came from varied but humble backgrounds and have been lucky enough to have had the chance to achieve our wildest dreams.
It was as clear then as it is now just how passionate The King is about The Trust’s work and about supporting young people into employment and training, particularly those from more disadvantaged backgrounds. He cares so deeply about helping young people in the UK to live full, happy lives so they’re able to support their own families and communities.
I was so proud to support The Trust’s #Changeagirlslife campaign. Without some incredible women in my life, including my mum and the Spice Girls, I would never have been able to achieve some of the wonderful things I’ve been able to do. So it felt really important to me to help the campaign raise vital funds for The Trust to support more young women on its programmes.
Most recently, I met His Majesty at The Prince’s Trust and TK Maxx and Homesense Awards, in May last year, where I was honoured to present an award. The event celebrates the stories of all the incredible young people that
The Trust has supported. It’s a true reflection of its impact and seeing His Majesty interact with the young people is inspiring. He always puts them all at ease and shows genuine interest in them and their lives, and he is often very moved by their stories.
Numerous times over the years, we have reminisced with His Majesty about the experiences we’ve shared with him. Standout memories for me are meeting Nelson Mandela with him in South Africa in 1997 and a fun trip to Highgrove for afternoon tea in 1998, where one of the Spice Girls was still hungry afterwards and we were taken down to the kitchens with William and Harry, where they made us peanut butter on toast. Those were amazing moments that we all cherish, and I think he does, too. I’m really looking forward to celebrating the Coronation in May with friends and family. • princes-trust.org.uk