Back in the 90s, every little girl wanted to be one of the Spice Girls. They were a girl-power group of singers who spoke to kids and teens all over the globe with their peppy lyrics and crazy outfits, and they set the stage for follow-up pop groups like Hanson and NSYNC. Decades later, the Spice Girls remain the best-selling all-female group of all time. But what happened to our favorite British ladies and their pop magic?
The girls fired their manager after their second album, Spiceworld, came out. With their popularity still surging, they set out on the Spiceworld world tour throughout Europe and North America. Ginger Spice left the group in 1998, and both Sporty Spice and Posh Spice announced they were pregnant later that year.
Things fizzled out for the group from there, although they continued to produce new songs until 2000.
While they briefly reunited in 2008, the Spice Girls eventually moved on to other pursuits, including all four members becoming moms. If you haven’t followed them over the decades as they’ve pursued careers, gotten married, and continued to grow their families, now’s the time to check in and see what our Spice Girls are up to today.
20 Hanging Out At Burberry
Victoria Beckham hasn’t disappeared into nothingness since the Spice Girls disbanded. She’s actually maintained her star status over the years with her expertise in the fashion world. She’s worked with Dolce and Gabbana, Rocawear, Roberto Cavalli, and Marc Jacobs, but she’s also developed her own lines and modeled on the catwalk, too.
She has a fashion line in her name and a collection that’s sold at Target, making the posh mom’s clothing accessible to us average moms, too. And it looks like she gets the whole family involved in fashion, if her family’s attendance at a Burberry show is any indication. While Posh always looks fabulous and flawless, it’s impressive that she and hubby David Beckham are able to keep their kids in check for an entire fashion show. Other celebrity kids tend to melt down, but Posh’s offspring are just as poised as she is.
19 Launching A Clothing Line
Emma Bunton began dating her longtime sweetheart Jade Jones in 1998, but numerous splits occurred before they reunited for good in 2004. The pair now have two sons, Beau and Tate. But Emma didn’t split from the Spice Girls in pursuit of motherhood. Before having her boys, she released two albums on her own and made appearances in films and documentaries.
Apart from her philanthropic work and media career, both of which have seen her traveling the globe, Emma is keen on making motherhood a huge part of her career. She launched a line of children’s clothing in 2011 with Argos, a British retailer, no doubt inspired by her own kiddos. While her Spice Girls fame probably helped bolster her clothing line’s success, her adorable boys sporting outfits from Argos likely didn’t hurt.
18 World Touring With The Tots
When the Spice Girls started their comeback tour in 2008, four of the five ladies were already mamas. While Mel C hadn’t yet had a child, the other four brought their babes on stage, the smaller ones wearing earmuffs to block out noise. It was their kids that were reportedly the reason the Spice Girls cancelled a huge part of their comeback tour, as the group cited personal and family commitments as the reason for calling off the last few stops.
Fortunately for Spice Girls fans, the ladies reunited to promote a musical about their group, and then again at the Summer Olympics in 2012. Although each of the ladies made attempts at solo careers, none was as successful as the group was together, despite positive reactions to their early albums.
17 Standing By Her Man
Although she and partner Jade Jones have been dating off and on since 1998, Emma Bunton and her man have never married. Between their splits, Emma even dated Justin Timberlake. She and Jade reportedly got engaged in 2011, however, but Emma told Digital Spy that she doesn’t need a civil or religious ceremony to justify her relationship. Despite numerous breakups early in their relationship, the two have shown a united front when it comes to their family life.
Jade is a chef who used to be an English R&B singer. His career change came when Emma gave birth to their first son, Beau. The two lead a relatively tame lifestyle, practically the opposite of Victoria Beckham and her family’s international exploits. However, neighbors next door to their London penthouse used to complain about their all-night partying.
16 Becoming An Ambassador
In 2014, Emma Bunton gave an interview with Express that highlighted her actions as a UNICEF ambassador. She traveled to Madagascar in a collaboration with Pampers to visit with mothers and their children. The program aimed to provide tetanus vaccines to mothers and their infants.
Emma explained that the whole experience was emotional for her, as it was her first time witnessing those conditions firsthand. She also felt relieved and grateful upon returning home to her two healthy boys, who were seven and three at the time. Following her UNICEF involvement, Emma also teamed up with other charities and organizations that aim to support vulnerable children. She’s supported anti-bullying campaigns and backed LGBT causes, too. For a celeb with a reputation for being sweet and innocent, Baby Spice has done some growing up since she’s become a mom.
15 Keeping Up With The Spices
If you thought that the Spice Girls stopped getting together once their girl group parted ways, that’s not the case. The ladies have stayed in touch over the years, and Geri Halliwell and Emma Bunton are two of the closest pairs. Emma (along with Victoria Beckham) is Geri’s eldest daughter’s godmother, meaning she’s been part of Bluebell’s life since she was born in 2006.
Now that Emma has kids too, the ladies seem to get together often. In the above photo, they attended the 2015 British Grand Prix with Geri’s daughter Bluebell and Emma’s son Beau. Geri’s husband heads a racing team, so the ladies came out to support him. But it’s not just Geri and Emma who are close- Mel C made an appearance as well, the Irish Mirror noted.
14 Finding Her Family
Geri Halliwell had her first daughter, Bluebell, in 2006. Bluebell’s dad is a screenwriter named Sacha Gervasi, but the two split early on. In 2014, Geri started dating her now-husband Christian Horner. When they wed, Geri became stepmom to Christian’s daughter Olivia. In early 2017, Geri and Christian welcomed a son named Montague. It’s reassuring to see how well Geri seems to be doing, especially considering she confessed she’d suffered from bulimia following her departure from the Spice Girls.
She told Piers Morgan that she dropped from a size ten to twelve down to a size six, the Daily Mail reported, and often made herself sick to avoid gaining weight. But life has turned around for Geri, who was also dealing with emotional turmoil following the death of her father. Leaving the Spice Girls forced her to focus on herself, she said, and she seems to have turned things around.
13 Glowing While Growing
Despite her past challenges with maintaining a healthy body image and a healthy weight, Geri Halliwell glowed as her belly grew with baby Montague. While both Geri and her husband each had a daughter before they tied the knot, it was the first son for both.
Shortly before Montague’s arrival, Geri was reuniting with the girls for a 20th anniversary celebration and was rumored to have been working on new music with Mel B and Emma. She had also recorded a fourth album, but most of the songs were leaked online before the official launch. Following the birth of her son, Geri kept things relatively low-key, and there’s no news yet on whether she’ll be back in the studio or rejoining the other two Spice Girls who were planning on going on tour together.
12 Marrying Prince Charming
Life as a single mom is tough, whether you’re a British celeb or not. By the time Geri Halliwell met her “prince charming” in now-husband Christian Horner, she’d been on her own with daughter Bluebell for almost a decade. The mom-daughter welcomed the change with open arms, though. After the wedding, Geri told Hello Magazine that the day was the happiest of her life. Her mom had gone through a divorce, she explained, so she wasn’t even sure she ever wanted to tie the knot.
But once she met Christian, that changed, as Geri had found her perfect prince charming. The two dated for around a year before marrying, and Geri’s then-9-year-old walked her down the aisle. Afterward, the little family went to France for a short honeymoon before Christian was due at the Monaco Grand Prix.
11 Partying With Friends
Melanie Chisholm’s daughter Scarlet attended a party at Geri Halliwell’s back in the day, further proof that the chemistry between the ladies went beyond the Spice Girls stage. Fortunately, the moms all had kids close enough together that the little ones became fair friends, which means Mel C and her daughter dropped by the party and left with a pink balloon and other goodies.
But Mel C seems like a laid-back mom who doesn’t mind dropping by kids’ parties and handling things on her own as a single mama. Scarlet’s dad is a property developer named Thomas Starr, and the two were reportedly together for ten years before calling it quits. Since then, Mel has kept a relatively low profile when it comes to relationships, though she’s dated well-knowns such as Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
10 Staying Sporty Offstage
In the days of the Spice Girls, Melanie Chisholm was known as Sporty Spice, donning tracksuits and wearing her hair in a slicked-back ponytail. Like Posh, Mel’s Spice Girls image reflected parts of her reality. Mel is active in triathlons and works hard to maintain a healthy weight and appearance.
When the Spice Girls were still in the news frequently, the media took to commenting on Mel’s weight, and she said she went from a size 10 to a size 14 at that time. Back then, Mel admitted in interviews that she was depressed and had an eating disorder. Now, Mel sets a good example for her daughter and gets involved in athletic events to stay in shape, teaming up with charity organizations as well as taking part in competitive triathlons.
9 Spending Family Time
Before she and ex Thomas Starr split, Mel C was snapped out and about with her man and their daughter Scarlet. The pair were together for ten years, starting in 2002. Daughter Scarlet arrived in 2009, and just a few weeks before mom and dad broke up, Mel was giving an interview to Good Housekeeping about the couple’s dynamics.
Mel said her husband was more spontaneous than she, and that while she wanted to run a precise and pristine household, he put a damper on that. Shortly after the interview was published, Mel’s publicity rep confirmed the breakup. At the time, Scarlet was only three years old, and Mel stayed single for a time. Recent rumors have linked her with fitness enthusiast Joe Marshall, but Mel’s been surprisingly silent about that development.
8 Playdates With Mom’s Friends
Although she stayed single for a long time following her split from daughter Scarlet’s dad, Mel C didn’t shy away from meeting new people and hanging out with friends. In 2013, the Metro reported that Mel was amused by the rumors about she and pal Chris Moyles. They both had parts in the play Jesus Christ Superstar, and remained close afterward- so close that Mel introduced her daughter to Chris.
But, Mel said, it did mess up her love life when people thought she and Chris were an item. At the same time, she thought it was funny and didn’t necessarily mind the rumor, except that it kept potential suitors way. But she did note that she’d met plenty of people being single and didn’t seem to mind a break in the dating game.
7 Taking The Kids To Work
It’s a different kind of stage these days for Mel B, aka Scary Spice, but that doesn’t mean she’s not enjoying her time in the spotlight. Mel brought her daughters Phoenix and Angel to tapings of America’s Got Talent, where she serves as a judge. The glam girls wore tulle-skirted dresses and posed on the red carpet.
Mel B joins a celebrity panel that judges performers onstage, an appropriate role for the multitalented mom. While she’s not your average working mom, you can tell she’s invested in motherhood when she fields calls from her kiddos while on camera. And with three daughters, she’s the ideal role model when it comes to showing her kiddos how moms get it all done. There’s also the fact that she’s often doing it alone- she’s not currently romantically linked to any of her three girls’ dads.
6 Lounging At The Park
Even in her loungewear, aka sweats and a tank top, Mel B is anything but scary. She’s a regular mom taking a day off and playing with her baby daughter at the park. This snap is when little Angel was a toddler, and during the time when Mel B was under scrutiny as Eddie Murphy denied paternity of the tot.
Sure, she’s a strong single mom making it on her own, but there may be another reason why Mel looked so relaxed in this park day snapshot. After a court-ordered DNA test proved that Eddie was the daddy, he reportedly agreed to a $7 million paternity settlement. While the cash influx didn’t stop Mel from continuing her career, it can’t hurt when you’re a single lady raising a family on your own.
5 Hanging Out With Hubby
Flashing back to rosier days between Mel B and now-ex-husband Stephen Belafonte, the two looked absolutely amorous as Mel was expecting baby Madison. Stephen took on a hands-on role with Mel’s two older daughters, too, and other photos show them together. Mel and her man seemed to know that there was a camera nearby, as they snuggled and posed for photos. Stephen even massaged Mel’s feet while she and her baby bump relaxed.
A few years later, when Madison was about five, the two separated. They were officially divorced at the end of 2017. In court proceedings, her ex claimed that Mel had wiped out her cash that came from her stint as a Spice Girl. Mel accused him of emotional and physical abuse, a stark contrast to the seemingly loving couple this photo suggests.
4 Walking The Red Carpet
Mel B hasn’t ever shied away from media attention with her girls, and why should she? They’re all gorgeous and seemingly well-behaved, and at least one has a dad who’s super famous in his own right. There’s no way the little family can avoid attention, so they might as well embrace it. Plus, Mel’s ex Stephen Belafonte is a film producer, and while’s not a superstar, that likely means youngest daughter Madison is familiar with the spotlight.
Oldest daughter Phoenix is an adult now, but she had to deal with her mom’s troubling marriage to Stephen, which the Daily Mail reported was so bad, Mel decided to move out of the home the couple shared during their marriage. While sources close to the family said Phoenix was afraid of her stepfather, she publicly defended him against the allegations of abuse.
3 Kisses Continue Despite Criticism
Victoria Beckham isn’t one to shy away from media attention, so it didn’t come as a surprise when she posted this shot of her smooching her daughter Harper. The Beckhams are a close-knit clan, and plenty of photos have surfaced of both mom and dad hugging and kissing their kids. While critics say it’s unhealthy for moms and dads to kiss their kids on the lips, it doesn’t seem like Victoria and David care what the public says.
There’s also the fact that Harper is apparently topless in this pic, earning the celeb parents another tut tut from the media. You might imagine that with Posh’s history of kidnap and death threats, she’d live a life of secrecy and caution, especially when it comes to securing her children’s privacy. But, perhaps fortunately, she doesn’t seem at all paranoid about weirdos tracking down her or her family.
2 Taking A Hands-Off Approach
While her Spice Girls nickname has stuck over the years, Posh Spice is often photographed as a hands-on and super-involved mom. She’s been photographed carrying her tots in their various infant and toddler stages, smooching on her kids as they grow, and hanging out at hubby David’s soccer games. Most of the time she’s wearing five-inch high heels, too. But in this photo, she has someone to help out with the baby while she lugs her oversized bag.
It’s hard to tell how old the infant is in this photo, but it could be that Posh has just arrived home after giving birth in the hospital, which could explain why she’s not carrying the infant car seat herself. Then again, maybe she has a team of nannies to help her corral the kids- she wouldn’t be the first celebrity to do so!
1 Baby Posh Grows Up
Back in 1999, Victoria and her then-fiance David welcomed baby Brooklyn. Mere months later, the former Victoria Adams became Mrs. Beckham, and the pair’s superstardom hasn’t slowed since. David is an iconic soccer player who first met Posh at a charity soccer game in 1997. Posh even said that at the time, she wasn’t into the sport, but she and David hit it off immediately.
Over the years, the couple added three more children to the mix- sons Romeo and Cruz and daughter Harper- but the kids have never seemed to shy away from mom and dad’s attention, even when the paparazzi are buzzing around. This photo perfectly captures Posh’s relationship with her eldest son, where he smiles bemusedly as she smooches his cheek. He’s also traveled internationally with his mom on UNAIDS ambassador missions.
References: Digital Spy, Express, Irish Mirror, Daily Mail, Hello Magazine, Daily Mail, Metro