The truth about the night Geri Halliwell pinched King Charles' bottom

17 June 2025, 18:20

In 1997, at a Prince’s Trust Gala at the Manchester Opera House, Spice Girls mania met royal formality—and promptly turned it on its head. Picture: Getty

By Giorgina Ramazzotti

What happened behind the scenes and how King Charles reacted to the 'most famous breach of royal protocol'.

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It was one of the most infamous breaches of royal protocol in pop culture history: the night Geri Halliwell got cheeky with the future King of England.

In 1997, at a Prince’s Trust Gala at the Manchester Opera House, Spice Girls mania met royal formality—and promptly turned it on its head.

By the time they arrived at London’s Royal Opera House for a high-profile gala, the Spice Girls were already international chart-toppers, with 'Wannabe' dominating both the UK and US music scenes.

The evening marked one of their earliest high-society appearances—and quickly made headlines after Geri Halliwell and Mel B leaned in for playful kisses on Prince Charles’s cheeks, casually ignoring the usual formalities of royal etiquette.

It was one of the most infamous breaches of royal protocol in pop culture history: the night Geri Halliwell got cheeky with the future King of England. Picture: Getty

By the time they arrived at London’s Royal Opera House for a high-profile gala, the Spice Girls were already international chart-toppers, with 'Wannabe' dominating both the UK and US music scenes. Picture: Getty

The five Spice Girls were delighted to meet the royal. Picture: Getty

The moment in question? Geri Halliwell, bold as ever, then gave Prince Charles what was widely described at the time as a 'pinch on the bum.'

The Spice Up Your Life star, known for her red hair and Union Jack dresses, didn’t stop there. That same night, she told the then-Prince that she thought he was 'very sexy,' before planting a kiss on his cheek—joined in her royal glee by bandmate Mel B.

The moment instantly became tabloid gold. But insiders were divided.

Paul Burrell, former butler to Princess Diana, later reflected on the incident in the Channel 5 documentary Funniest Royal Cock-Ups:

"This is probably the most famous clip of breaching royal protocol," he said. "A kiss on the cheek, perhaps, but a pinch on the bottom? A bit too far."

The famous kiss left a lipstick mark on the future King's cheek. — That same night, she told the then-Prince that she thought he was 'very sexy,' before planting a kiss on his cheek. Picture: Getty

Geri Halliwell, bold as ever, then gave Prince Charles what was widely described at the time as a 'pinch on the bum' (pictured). Picture: Getty

Paul Burrell, former butler to Princess Diana, later reflected on the incident calling it: "Probably the most famous clip of breaching royal protocol.". Picture: Getty

He added with a smile, "Perhaps a little bit too close to the royal personage – or maybe the crown jewels.”

Actress and royal impressionist Debra Stephenson agreed, calling it "cringeable," while narrator Gyles Brandreth joked that the Prince hadn’t "been publicly embarrassed like this since he last tried breakdancing" – referring to when Charles joined a group of teenagers to try the dance at a Prince’s Trust charity event in 1985.

But despite teh public and palace insiders being up-in-arms, what about Prince Charles himself?

Far from being offended, he saw the funny side—and said so in a private 1997 letter, later revealed in the book The Prince Charles Letters by David Stubbs:

"I was all too keenly aware of kissing being planted on my cheeks and even of my hindquarters being pinched. All of this was, of course, most improper, if somewhat flattering," the future monarch wrote.

In that same note, he mused that if he’d been younger, his Uncle Dickie (Lord Mountbatten) might have encouraged him to "horse around with the all-girl group."

But Charles was feeling his age at the time, noting that he had "a serious role to play in the administration in the United Kingdom."

Prince Charles meets the Spice Girls in 1997

When Geri announced she was leaving the Spice Girls in 1998, Prince Charles personally wrote to her, expressing heartfelt regret. Picture: Getty

"And I cannot afford to have that undermined by an ill-judged choice of bride," he wrote.

"Spirituality and gravitas, not Sporty, not Baby, must be my watchwords."

But the cheeky encounter – seen by many as disrespectful towards the monarchy – didn’t seem to hurt relations between King Charles and Geri. If anything, it seemed to spark a warm and lasting rapport between them.

When Geri announced she was leaving the Spice Girls in 1998, Prince Charles personally wrote to her, expressing heartfelt regret.

"The group will not be the same without you," he said, going on to joke: "What will I do without your wonderfully friendly greeting?"

He signed off the letter, "with lots of love," and added: "Really wanted you to know how deeply I've appreciated your great generosity to my Prince's Trust and how much I wish you well for whatever the future holds."

Geri Halliwell has been married to Red Bull F1 Team Principle, Christian Horner, since 2015. Picture: Getty

Geri Halliwell’s first solo performance after leaving the Spice Girls wasn’t at an awards show or pop concert – it was in honour of Prince Charles’s 50th birthday in 1998.

The event, held at the Lyceum Theatre in London’s West End, marked her debut as a solo artist and a surprising return to the spotlight.

Dressed in a vintage-style blue ballgown by designer Kenny Ho, Geri serenaded the Prince with her own rendition of Happy Birthday, sealing the moment with a blown kiss across the theatre.

But her most infamous royal moment remains the one that sparked tabloid frenzy back in the '90s — the cheeky encounter that earned her headlines around the world.

Geri Halliwell and King Charles have remained friends (pictured at Buckingham Palace in 2023). Picture: Getty

Geri Halliwell-Horner reveals which Spice Girls outfits she still owns

So what really happened in that fateful moment? According to Geri, this is not quite what the press made it out to be.

"I didn’t pinch Prince Charles’s bum, as was reported. I patted it,” she insisted in a later interview with The Times.

The incident, captured on camera at a Prince’s Trust event, quickly became the stuff of royal protocol legend — or violation, depending on who you asked.

But Geri chalked it up to the sheer energy of the moment. “Patting him on the bottom was against royal protocol but we're all human,” she said, adding,

"There was a lot of nervous energy, young women, happy antics.”

And just like that, Ginger Spice turned one of the monarchy’s most reserved figures into the centre of a pop culture punchline — and lived to be invited back.