Editing Spice Girls (section)

==Portrayal in the media==
The Spice Girls became media icons in Great Britain and a regular feature of the British press.<ref name="spice girls bio"/><ref name="rolling stone interview">{{cite magazine|last=Heath|first=Chris|date=10 July 1997|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/spice-girls-too-hot-to-handle-63901/|title=Spice Girls: Too Hot to Handle|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|access-date=15 April 2017|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210216090655/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/spice-girls-too-hot-to-handle-63901/|archive-date=16 February 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> During the peak of their worldwide fame in 1997, the paparazzi were constantly seen following them everywhere<ref name="Sinclair 2004, pp. 115–116"/> to obtain stories and gossip about the group, such as a supposed affair between Emma Bunton and manager Simon Fuller, or constant split rumours which became fodder for numerous tabloids.<ref name="spice girls bio"/><ref name="bbc1">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/31885.stm|title=Spice Girls just wannabe together|publisher=[[BBC News]]|date=17 November 1997|access-date=20 January 2009|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210216084839/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/31885.stm|archive-date=16 February 2021|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="latimes 97"/><ref name="ew 1997">{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/1997/12/12/have-spice-girls-gone-sour/|title=Have the Spice Girls gone sour?|last=Essex|first=Andrew|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=12 December 1997|access-date=20 February 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210216085019/https://ew.com/article/1997/12/12/have-spice-girls-gone-sour/|archive-date=16 February 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> Rumours of in-fighting and conflicts within the group also made headlines, with the rumours suggesting that Geri Halliwell and Melanie Brown in particular were fighting to be the leader of the group.<ref name="ewspice"/> Brown, who later admitted that she used to be a "bitch" to Halliwell, said the problems had stayed in the past.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.news24.com/News24/Mel-B-I-gave-Geri-hell-20080213|title=Mel B: I gave Geri hell|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210220094206/https://www.news24.com/News24/Mel-B-I-gave-Geri-hell-20080213|archive-date=20 February 2021|work=[[News24 (website)|News24]]|date=13 February 2008|url-status=live|access-date=20 February 2021}}</ref> The rumours reached their height when the Spice Girls dismissed their manager Simon Fuller during the power struggles, with Fuller reportedly receiving a £10 million severance cheque to keep quiet about the details of his sacking.<ref name="ewspice"/><ref name="latimes 97">{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-dec-07-ca-61470-story.html|last=Gritten|first=David|date=7 December 1997|title=The Life of Spice (Cover Story)|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=2 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170325160148/http://articles.latimes.com/1997/dec/07/entertainment/ca-61470|archive-date=25 March 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="ew 1997"/> Months later, in May 1998, Halliwell would leave the band amid rumours of a falling out with Brown; the news of Halliwell's departure was covered as a major news story by media around the world,<ref name=gerileaves>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/news/ginger-shakes-out-of-spice-world-951802.story#/news/ginger-shakes-out-of-spice-world-951802.story|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130118063904/http://www.billboard.com/news/ginger-shakes-out-of-spice-world-951802.story%23/news/ginger-shakes-out-of-spice-world-951802.story|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 January 2013|title=Ginger Shakes Out of Spice World|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |access-date=3 July 2010}}</ref> and became one of the biggest entertainment news stories of the decade.<ref name=billboardbreakup/>

In February 1997 at the Brit Awards, Halliwell's Union Jack dress from the Spice Girls' live performance made all the front pages the next day. During the ceremony, Halliwell's breasts were exposed twice, causing controversy.<ref name="official timeline"/> In the same year, nude [[Glamour photography|glamour shots]] of Halliwell taken earlier in her career were released,<ref name="spice girls bio"/> causing some scandal.<ref name="rolling stone interview"/>

The stories of their encounters with other celebrities also became fodder for the press;<ref name="spice girls bio"/><ref name="iconic moments">[http://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/gallery/spice-girls-best-moments The most iconic Spice Girls moments]. [[Glamour (magazine)|Glamour magazine]]. 14 July 2016.</ref> for example, in May 1997, at The Prince's Trust 21st-anniversary concert, Brown and Halliwell breached royal protocol when they planted kisses on [[Prince Charles]]'s cheeks, leaving it covered with lipstick, and later, Halliwell told him "you're very sexy" and also pinched his bottom.<ref name="charles letter"/> In November, the British royal family were considered fans of the Spice Girls, including The Prince of Wales and his sons [[Prince William]] and [[Prince Harry]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/19914.stm "Harry's a real hit with Spice Girls"]. BBC News. 2 November 1997.</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/39888.stm It was all spice on the night] BBC News. 16 December 1997</ref><ref>[http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/royal_family/Prince+William-52053.html Prince William's Spice-y Christmas] femalefirst.co.uk. 17 December 2008</ref> That month, South African President [[Nelson Mandela]] said: "These are my heroes. This is one of the greatest moments in my life"<ref name=bbcmandela/> in an encounter organised by Prince Charles, who said, "It is the second greatest moment in my life, the first time I met them was the greatest".<ref name=bbcmandela/> Prince Charles would later send Halliwell a personal letter "with lots of love" when he heard that she had quit the Spice Girls.<ref name="charles letter">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/150855.stm Dear Geri... Love Charles]. BBC News. 14 August 1998.</ref> In 1998 the video game magazine ''[[Nintendo Power]]'' created The More Annoying Than the Spice Girls Award, adding: "What could possibly have been more annoying in 1997 than the Spice Girls, you ask?".<ref>''[[Nintendo Power]]'' No. 106 (p.81)</ref>

Victoria Adams started dating football player [[David Beckham]] in late 1997 after they had met at a charity football match.<ref name="mend">{{Cite news| last= Roberts|first= Alison |url= https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/david-and-victoria-beckham-can-they-mend-it-like-beckhams-559561.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090101093045/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/david-and-victoria-beckham-can-they-mend-it-like-beckhams-559561.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= 1 January 2009 | title = David and Victoria Beckham: Can they mend it like Beckhams? |work=The Independent |location=UK | date = 11 April 2005 | access-date =21 December 2007 }}</ref> The couple announced their engagement in 1998<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/50549.stm "Posh Spice and English football star announce engagement"]. BBC News. 26 January 1998.</ref> and were dubbed "[[Posh and Becks]]" by the media, becoming a cultural phenomenon in their own right.<ref>Pryor, Fiona (12 July 2007). [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6295214.stm Will Brand Beckham break America?]. BBC News. Retrieved 24 December 2007.</ref>