King Charles III has enjoyed many encounters with the Spice Girls over the years - but one outrageous night will go down in history. It'd been 25 years since girl power met royalty, with the then Prince Charles first getting acquainted with Scary, Ginger, Posh, Sporty and Baby back in 1997.
Charles was walking down the line speaking to guests at the charity gala for the Princes' Trust and got way more than he bargained for. After a quick giggle with Victoria Beckham, the King got asked out for dinner by a giddy Mel B, who then broke royal protocol by giving the royal a kiss on the cheek.
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"You should get your tongue pierced," she told a flustered Charles, who then asked when she was going to get hers done.
Scary Spice then awkwardly confessed "you've got lipstick on you now" before wiping his cheek.
Next up was Emma Bunton, who clearly fancied becoming a Princess as she asked where Prince William was.
But the heat was really turned up when Geri Horner interrupted to tell Charles that he was "very sexy" and giving him a massive smooch on the cheek.
Then she controversially touched the future King's bum - with many at the time reporting that she gave his bottom a pinch.
"Now I've got even more [lipstick on his cheek," said the King as he shook hands with Mel C, then the girls asked to take a photo with him..
Not letting it lie, Geri added: "You do look extremely sexy actually."
The singers did their "girl power" symbol by making a peace sign - and a baffled Charles asked: "What's all this business?"
When he refused to hold his fingers up, they explained that it stood for "people power" and asked: "You do believe in that, don't you?"
Years later, Geri would deny that she pinched Charle's behind and insisted it was only a "pat".
"I didn’t pinch Prince Charle's bum, as was reported. I patted it," she insisted. "Patting him on the bottom was against royal protocol but we're all human.
"There was a lot of nervous energy, young women, happy antics."
Thankfully, Charles clearly saw the funny side as he ended up bringing one of his sons to meet the girl group in November 1997.
The King and Prince Harry me the Spice Girls along with the Nelson Mandela in South Africa, a moment which the inspirational man reportedly described it as one of the best moments of his life.
Perhaps using a bit of sarcasm, Mandela said: "These are my heroes. I don’t want to be emotional, but this is one of the greatest moments of my life."
While Charles claimed it was the second greatest moment of his life, with the top being the first time they were introduced.
They clearly became close as the royal sent a personal letter to Geri when Spice Girls broke up in 1998, which he signed off "with lots of love".
In the letter, Charles expressed his regret that Geri had left the group, writing: "The group will not be the same without you.
"What will I do without your wonderfully friendly greeting?
"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."
The note was signed off with "lots of love" - and Geri was said to have been "very touched" by the sweet gesture.
Being a fan of the Spice Girls clearly runs in the family as Charles took a delighted William and Harry to watch the premiere of Spice World.
More than 20 years after that cheeky kiss in 1997, Charles and Geri were reunited at the 21st anniversary of the Prince's Trust in Manchester in 2019.
But this time she was on her best behaviour as she was also joined by her husband, Formula One's Red Bull boss Christian Horner.
The pair began chatting once again as the Savoy hotel in London - with the Spice Girl praising him for being a "modern royal".
"I feel like we should be really proud of what he does," explained Geri.
"He's a modern man, he's a modern royal in everything he does. He has consciousness. He thinks about the world that we live in."
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