It’s a new year, meaning the Queen is awarding fancy titles and medals to a host of enterprising individuals. Among those honoured in the 2022 intake is Spice Girl Mel B (real name Melanie Brown).
Brown was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), reports The Independent. The exclusion of Brown’s Spice Girls band mates, Melanie Chisholm, Victoria Beckham, Geri Halliwell and Emma Bunton, might seem peculiar, but this isn’t a show of favouritism from Her Majesty.
Rather, Mel B was appointed MBE for services to charitable causes and vulnerable women. The 46-year-old Brown has worked closely with survivors of abuse as a patron of the domestic violence charity, Women’s Aid. Brown released a statement highlighting the significance of the award.
“This has taken so long to sink in because it means so much to me,” she said.
“To go through such dark times and then to start coming into the light and speaking out for myself and other women has been at times incredibly painful but also unbelievably empowering.”
Brown said that receiving the award was bigger than any individual achievement. “I feel I’m accepting this award on behalf of all women who have gone through — or going through — abuse in all its shapes and forms.”
She continued: “I am so grateful not just to be a survivor but to have a platform to keep speaking out as Patron of Women’s Aid.”
Beckham, aka Posh Spice, was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2017 honours for services to the fashion industry.
