25 photos of the Spice Girls to celebrate 25 years of the girl band

  • Geri Halliwell's Union Jack dress from the Spice Girls' performance of 'Who Do You Think You Are?' at the Brits in 1997 became one of fashion's most famous and emulated moments. Shutterstock
    Geri Halliwell's Union Jack dress from the Spice Girls' performance of 'Who Do You Think You Are?' at the Brits in 1997 became one of fashion's most famous and emulated moments. Shutterstock
  • More than 400 women answered an advertisement to form the group which went on to become The Spice Girls. The group later parted ways with Heart Management and signed with Richard Branson's Virgin label. Instagram
    More than 400 women answered an advertisement to form the group which went on to become The Spice Girls. The group later parted ways with Heart Management and signed with Richard Branson's Virgin label. Instagram
  • The Spice Girls have UK journalist Peter Loraine to thank for their world-famous nicknames Sporty, Baby, Posh, Scary and Ginger. As the then-editor of British pop music magazine 'Top of the Pops', Loraine came up with the nicknames for a July 1996 feature on the group. Instagram
    The Spice Girls have UK journalist Peter Loraine to thank for their world-famous nicknames Sporty, Baby, Posh, Scary and Ginger. As the then-editor of British pop music magazine 'Top of the Pops', Loraine came up with the nicknames for a July 1996 feature on the group. Instagram
  • The Spice Girls released three albums altogether. Their debut 'Spice' in 1996, 'Spice World' in 1997, and 'Forever', which was released in 2000 as a foursome after Halliwell left the group. Getty Images
    The Spice Girls released three albums altogether. Their debut 'Spice' in 1996, 'Spice World' in 1997, and 'Forever', which was released in 2000 as a foursome after Halliwell left the group. Getty Images
  • The Spice Girls' debut album, 'Spice', was certified multi-platinum in 27 countries and spawned the singles 'Wannabe', 'Say You'll Be There', '2 Become 1' and 'Mama'. Instagram
    The Spice Girls' debut album, 'Spice', was certified multi-platinum in 27 countries and spawned the singles 'Wannabe', 'Say You'll Be There', '2 Become 1' and 'Mama'. Instagram
  • The group met Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Command Performance at the Victoria Palace Theatre on December 1, 1997. That same year they released 'Spice Up Your Life', the first single from 'Spice World'. It went straight to number one on the UK singles chart, becoming the group's fifth consecutive number one single. Getty Images
    The group met Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Command Performance at the Victoria Palace Theatre on December 1, 1997. That same year they released 'Spice Up Your Life', the first single from 'Spice World'. It went straight to number one on the UK singles chart, becoming the group's fifth consecutive number one single. Getty Images
  • On May 31, 1998, Halliwell announced she was leaving The Spice Girls after missing two concerts in Norway. 'I need to say something I should have said a long time ago,' she told Wembley Stadium during the Spice World 2019 tour. 'I'm sorry. I'm sorry I left. I was just being a brat. It is so good to be back with the girls that I love.' Getty Images
    On May 31, 1998, Halliwell announced she was leaving The Spice Girls after missing two concerts in Norway. 'I need to say something I should have said a long time ago,' she told Wembley Stadium during the Spice World 2019 tour. 'I'm sorry. I'm sorry I left. I was just being a brat. It is so good to be back with the girls that I love.' Getty Images
  • Bunton and Jade Jones, who used to be in the British boyband Damage, share two children. Instagram
    Bunton and Jade Jones, who used to be in the British boyband Damage, share two children. Instagram
  • Mel C has had the most prolific solo career, releasing eight studio albums. Revealing that Madonna is her biggest life and musical influence, she told 'The Sun': 'I've always admired how hard she works and what a strong lady she is, so she's always inspired me in that way.' AFP
    Mel C has had the most prolific solo career, releasing eight studio albums. Revealing that Madonna is her biggest life and musical influence, she told 'The Sun': 'I've always admired how hard she works and what a strong lady she is, so she's always inspired me in that way.' AFP
  • The Spice Girls promoted their film 'Spice World: The Movie' at the Cannes Film Festival in 1997. The film featured cameos from the likes of Richard E Grant, Meat Loaf, Elton John, Bob Geldof and Stephen Fry. Rex
    The Spice Girls promoted their film 'Spice World: The Movie' at the Cannes Film Festival in 1997. The film featured cameos from the likes of Richard E Grant, Meat Loaf, Elton John, Bob Geldof and Stephen Fry. Rex
  • The group reunited in 2012 to perform at the closing ceremony of the London Olympics. The five-piece were driven into the arena atop black London taxis and sang a medley of their hits. Getty Images
    The group reunited in 2012 to perform at the closing ceremony of the London Olympics. The five-piece were driven into the arena atop black London taxis and sang a medley of their hits. Getty Images
  • Melanie Brown aka Mel B has released two solo albums, 2000's 'Hot' and 'LA State of Mind' in 2005. Instagram
    Melanie Brown aka Mel B has released two solo albums, 2000's 'Hot' and 'LA State of Mind' in 2005. Instagram
  • Their debut song 'Wannabe' stayed at number one in the UK charts for seven weeks, and hit the number one spot in 37 countries, including four weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. It remains the biggest-selling single by an all-female group. Reuters
    Their debut song 'Wannabe' stayed at number one in the UK charts for seven weeks, and hit the number one spot in 37 countries, including four weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. It remains the biggest-selling single by an all-female group. Reuters
  • The then-Victoria Adams married David Beckham in July 1999, and the pair have four children: Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper. Instagram
    The then-Victoria Adams married David Beckham in July 1999, and the pair have four children: Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper. Instagram
  • Mel C told 'Music Week' that The Spice Girls' message of girl power was unintentional to begin with. 'Girl power was something that we never intended," she said. "As soon as we were heading into the music industry, we started to be faced with some sexism. We were told girls don't sell." Getty Images
    Mel C told 'Music Week' that The Spice Girls' message of girl power was unintentional to begin with. 'Girl power was something that we never intended," she said. "As soon as we were heading into the music industry, we started to be faced with some sexism. We were told girls don't sell." Getty Images
  • Halliwell and Bunton on the set of The Spice Girls' music video for 'Say You'll Be There'. David Beckham told friends that Victoria would be his future wife after seeing her in the video. Instagram
    Halliwell and Bunton on the set of The Spice Girls' music video for 'Say You'll Be There'. David Beckham told friends that Victoria would be his future wife after seeing her in the video. Instagram
  • The Spice Girls' management team helped make them multimillionaires by setting up a range of endorsement deals with brands including Pepsi, Walkers, Impulse, Cadbury and Polaroid. Getty Images
    The Spice Girls' management team helped make them multimillionaires by setting up a range of endorsement deals with brands including Pepsi, Walkers, Impulse, Cadbury and Polaroid. Getty Images
  • The Spice Girls' third and final studio album 'Forever' was their least successful, selling just four million copies compared to 23 million for 'Spice' and the 14 million clocked up by 'Spice World'. Reuters
    The Spice Girls' third and final studio album 'Forever' was their least successful, selling just four million copies compared to 23 million for 'Spice' and the 14 million clocked up by 'Spice World'. Reuters
  • Post-Spice Girls, Beckham's eponymous debut album was released in October 2001 and reached number 10 in the UK album chart, selling 50,000 copies. Beckham quit her solo music career in 2004 to focus on fashion. Instagram
    Post-Spice Girls, Beckham's eponymous debut album was released in October 2001 and reached number 10 in the UK album chart, selling 50,000 copies. Beckham quit her solo music career in 2004 to focus on fashion. Instagram
  • The group's Spice World 2019 tour won the Billboard Live Music Award for the highest-grossing engagement of the year. The UK tour comprised 13 dates in cities including London, Edinburgh and Manchester. Instagram
    The group's Spice World 2019 tour won the Billboard Live Music Award for the highest-grossing engagement of the year. The UK tour comprised 13 dates in cities including London, Edinburgh and Manchester. Instagram
  • After the Spice Girls split, Mel C launched her solo career in 1998 with the track 'When You're Gone', a duet with Canadian singer Bryan Adams. Her solo debut album 'Northern Star' sold more than four million copies worldwide, and is the best-selling solo album of all the Spice Girls. Instagram
    After the Spice Girls split, Mel C launched her solo career in 1998 with the track 'When You're Gone', a duet with Canadian singer Bryan Adams. Her solo debut album 'Northern Star' sold more than four million copies worldwide, and is the best-selling solo album of all the Spice Girls. Instagram
  • Mel C and Bunton share a hug onstage during the Spice World 2019 tour. Instagram
    Mel C and Bunton share a hug onstage during the Spice World 2019 tour. Instagram
  • Among the many accolades the group has won are five Brit Awards, three American Music Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, three MTV Europe Music Awards and one MTV Video Music Award. Instagram
    Among the many accolades the group has won are five Brit Awards, three American Music Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, three MTV Europe Music Awards and one MTV Video Music Award. Instagram
  • Halliwell married Christian Horner, the team principal of the Red Bull Racing Formula One team, in May 2015, and the pair share a son, Montague. Instagram
    Halliwell married Christian Horner, the team principal of the Red Bull Racing Formula One team, in May 2015, and the pair share a son, Montague. Instagram
  • Before they became famous, the five women shared a house in Maidenhead, Berkshire. Bunton told 'The Guardian': 'I used to make beans on toast for everyone, while Mel B used to cook corned beef and rice. We used to make Victoria clean the bathroom.' Shutterstock
    Before they became famous, the five women shared a house in Maidenhead, Berkshire. Bunton told 'The Guardian': 'I used to make beans on toast for everyone, while Mel B used to cook corned beef and rice. We used to make Victoria clean the bathroom.' Shutterstock