The couple has been dating for three years (Picture: Channel 4/Instagram)
Mel B has revealed her new fiancé has been given the seal of approval from her fellow Spice Girls, with Melanie C and Emma Bunton even shedding tears of happiness over their engagement.
The singer and campaigner confirmed her exciting news at the end of October, revealing on Gogglebox that her hairdresser boyfriend of three years, Rory McPhee, had got down on one knee.
Revealing his ‘very romantic’ proposal at Cliveden, complete with rose petals and a log fire, the couple have now given their first joint interview, in which Mel shared that it was her Spice pals who actually ‘pushed’ them together.
Talking about the moment she told them all about their engagement, the mum of three shared: ‘Emma [Bunton] cried, so did Mel C. All of them were delighted for us and said, “We love Rory, he’s amazing” and they’ve all sent congratulations cards.’
She also revealed that that had not always been the case, adding: ‘I do care about their opinion and it’s really special to me that they like Rory so much, because they’ve never liked any of my boyfriends and they’ve been quite clear about that.’
The 47-year-old said that it was actually the girls who were ‘pushing me towards Rory for ages’, with Mel saying it was her protesting that he was ‘just a really good friend who makes me feel safe’.
Mel revealed her Spice Girls pals were all ‘delighted’ over the news, but hadn’t liked any of her previous boyfriends (Picture: Tim Roney/Getty Images)
She also said that Emma and Melanie C (far L) were in tears when they found out (Picture: Stuart Wilson/Getty Images)
She told Hello! magazine: ‘For the first time in my life, I’m engaged to a beautiful, honest person who makes me feel protected, nurtured and so loved, and I want to savour that.’
Mel and Rory started dating in 2018 but it’s thought that they knew each other for a while before getting romantic, as Rory is a friend of Mel’s cousin.
The former America’s Got Talent judge is mother to three daughters – Phoenix Chi Gulzar, 23, Angel Iris Murphy Brown, 15, and Madison Belafonte, 11, from former relationships with Dutch dancer Jimmy Gulzar, second husband Stephen Belafonte, and actor Eddie Murphy.
Mel said Rory makes her feel ‘safe’ (Picture: Instagram/officialmelb)
Mel met Jimmy in 1998 when he was hired as a dancer for a Spice Girls world tour, becoming engaged and then pregnant that same year.
The couple divorced in 2000.
Mel was then married to Stephen, 46, for 10 years until 2017, claiming after they split he had emotionally and physically abused her.
With ex-husband Stephen Belafonte in 2016 (Picture: Broadimage/Shutterstock)
In 2018, she became a patron of the charity Women’s Aid, after she was allegedly the victim of domestic abuse at the hands of her former partner – claims which Stephen denies.
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She was made MBE by Prince William for her role earlier this year.
As for her current husband-to-be, sources hail him as ‘lovely’ and ‘down-to-earth,’ with Mel’s friends and family said to be ‘over the moon’ with her engagement.
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‘It’s really special to me that they like Rory so much, because they’ve never liked any of my boyfriends and they’ve been quite clear about that.’
