How Mel B and Rory McPhee's longtime friendship turned into marriage, twice
Mel B and Rory McPhee were long-time friends before their relationship turned romantic in 2019, following her divorce from Stephen Belafonte. After dating for several years, McPhee proposed in 2022 during a romantic getaway in Berkshire, England. The couple married at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London on 5 July 2025.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Mel B and Rory McPhee were friends for years before starting a romantic relationship in 2019.
- The couple dated for three years before getting engaged in October 2022 during a romantic getaway in Berkshire, England.
- Mel B and Rory McPhee tied the knot on 5 July 2025, at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.
Profile summary
Full name | Melanie Janine Brown | Rory James McPhee |
Gender | Female | Male |
Date of birth | 29 May 1975 | 31 May 1988 |
Age | 50 years old (as of 2026) | 37 years old (as of 2026) |
Zodiac sign | Gemini | Gemini |
Place of birth | Harehills, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England | Leeds, West Yorkshire, England |
Current residence | United Kingdom/Los Angeles | United Kingdom |
Nationality | British | British |
Ethnicity | Mixed (Caribbean and English) | White British |
Religion | Christianity | Christianity |
Sexuality | Bisexual | Straight |
Height in inches | 5'5'' | 5'10'' |
Height in centimetres | 165 | 178 |
Weight in pounds | 130 | 170 |
Weight in kilograms | 59 | 77 |
Hair colour | Dark brown | Light brown |
Eye colour | Dark brown | Dark |
Father | Martin Brown | N/A |
Mother | Andrea Brown | N/A |
Siblings | Danielle Brown | N/A |
Relationship status | Married | Married |
Spouse | Rory McPhee | Mel B |
Children | Phoenix Chi Gulzar, Angel Iris Murphy Brown, Madison Brown Belafonte | Stepfather to Mel B’s children |
Education | Intake High School/Kirkstall Road Primary School | N/A |
Profession | Singer, songwriter, actress, TV personality | Hairdresser, entrepreneur |
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X | N/A |
A look at Mel B and Rory McPhee’s relationship
Mel B, famously known as Scary Spice from the Spice Girls, is married to hairstylist Rory McPhee. Their relationship, which grew from friendship into romance, has been celebrated by family, friends, and fans alike. Below is a look at their relationship timeline:
Pre-2018: Mel B and Rory McPhee develop a close friendship
Before their romance began, Mel B and Rory McPhee had long shared a friendship that dated back many years. McPhee grew up in Leeds, England, the same city where the Spice Girls star was raised, and his family had close ties with Mel B’s family.
His mother was reportedly a close friend of Mel B’s mother. During this period, McPhee also worked as a professional hairstylist, and Mel B occasionally relied on him for hair treatments and styling.
Source: Getty Images
Mel B and Rory's relationship remained purely platonic for years, with McPhee becoming a trusted friend and someone Mel B could lean on, especially during difficult periods in her personal life. Speaking about her early impression of him. She told People magazine in 2022:
I was like, ‘Oh, god, boys will be boys, whatever.’ He’s just a friend, a family friend, nothing like that.
Mel B also shared how Rory's kindness and patience made a big difference in her life:
He was just there patiently waiting, always there to give me a hair treatment, always there to talk. He’s a great listener. And he just became more and more of a friend, and more and more important in my life. It’d been a long time since anybody was that kind to me.
She added:
I wasn’t looking for intimacy or anything like that because I was still suffering a lot from PTSD. And he was just patient. He read the first draft of my book. He just couldn’t believe that a person who says they love you would treat you like that.
Source: UGC
2019: Mel B and Rory McPhee start dating
In 2019, following her separation from Stephen Belafonte, Mel B began dating Rory McPhee and moved back to Leeds. Having previously cut and bleached her hair to symbolically shed her past, she turned to McPhee, a hair specialist, for help. She told Us Weekly in a May 2025 cover story:
Rory, a lovely family friend, is a hairdresser, so he was nurturing my curls back. When I left my ex, I cut my hair off and dyed it blonde. I wanted to get rid of anything that made me think of [the relationship].
Although some reports suggest Mel and Rory officially began dating as early as 2018, the couple intentionally kept their relationship out of the public eye for the first several years. During this early stage, they also worked together professionally.
McPhee served as her stylist on major sets, including the second season of the reality TV show The Masked Singer U.K., where he shared photos of her hairstyles on social media, subtly hinting at their close bond. After the two began dating, Mel recognised just how special Rory is. In 2025, she shared with Us Weekly:
He’s a very confident man, and that, to me, is a man. He makes me feel so safe — I didn’t realise how unsafe I felt because that became normal to me. Whereas now I have to pinch myself and go, ‘You are so kind. Are you still going to be kind? Can I marry you? Can I trust my own instincts?’ And you can.
Source: Getty Images
October 2022: The couple get engaged
After three years of dating, McPhee proposed during a romantic getaway at Cliveden House in Berkshire, which Mel B described as her favourite hotel. Before proposing, McPhee visited the grave of Mel B’s late father, Martin Brown, to ask for his blessing.
The engagement was publicly confirmed during Mel B's appearance on the UK TV show Celebrity Gogglebox. According to Page Six, Mel B recalled their engagement and said:
He said, ‘I love you, you’re my best friend, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.’...There were rose petals everywhere, a log fire, a hotel — which was [the luxury hotel] Cliveden. It was very romantic. I love flowers…
Mel also confirmed her engagement to Rory McPhee in a 2022 interview with HELLO! magazine, saying:
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.
Talking about the moment he popped the question, Rory said:
I was so nervous, my lips were trembling. I'd spent ages writing down all these things I wanted to say, but when it came to it, I just babbled.
Source: UGC
July 2025: Mel B and Rory McPhee exchange their wedding vows
On 5 July 2025, Mel B and Rory McPhee exchanged their wedding vows in the OBE Chapel, also known as St. Faith’s Chapel, within the crypt of St. Paul’s Cathedral. Mel B wore a custom ivory gown by British designer Josephine Scott.
To honour his heritage, Rory McPhee wore a traditional Scottish kilt in a red-and-green tartan. Mel B’s three daughters, Phoenix, Angel, and Madison, all served as bridesmaids. Notably, Phoenix wore a blue silk dress designed and gifted by Victoria Beckham. In a 2025 interview with Hello magazine, Mel B spoke emotionally about marrying Rory and how special the day felt:
That meant the world to me. It was the most amazing day and was so full of love. It exceeded all our expectations.
Source: Getty Images
Before meeting McPhee, Mel B often stated she would never marry again following two difficult divorces. She told People magazine in March 2024:
I was like, ‘I'm never going to get married again. Never, never, never. I'm never having a relationship. I'm fine by myself. I want to raise my kids, put my head down and work, and that's it. And then… never can say never, can you?
She added:
I believe in love, and clearly, the other two marriages turned out to be not love, from their angle. So I feel like I've really missed out, and now I've got this opportunity to be properly in love with a really good guy who I know loves me for me, who's known me before I was a Spice Girl, why wouldn't I do that?
Source: Getty Images
August 2025: Mel B marries Rory McPhee for the 2nd time in Morocco
Mel B married Rory McPhee for the second time in a romantic, three-day celebration from 1 August to 3 August 2025. The celebration was hosted at the five-star Selman Marrakech hotel in Morocco. Mel B shared a photo from their nuptials in a joint Instagram post on 3 August 2025, and captioned:
We got married!!! Again! A wedding so good we keep the celebration going with our closest and dearest in our fav place at @selmanmarrakech, we had the time of our lives!!
Mel B chose Morocco because it was the location of her last holiday with her father, Martin Brown, before he passed away in 2017. She told the New York Post:
That was the last place that I had a holiday with my dad before he died. It’s a very special place to me,
Source: Getty Images
FAQs
- Who is Mel B? Melanie Janine Brown McPhee MBE, commonly known as Mel B or Scary Spice, is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality who rose to global fame in the 1990s as a member of the Spice Girls.
- Who is Mel B’s husband? The popular singer is married to Rory McPhee, an English professional hairstylist and entrepreneur.
- How old are Mel B and Rory McPhee? Mel B, born 29 May 1975, is 50 years old, while her husband Rory McPhee, born 31 May 1988, is 37 years old.
- Is Mel B still with Rory McPhee? Mel B and Rory McPhee are still together and are currently married.
- How many times has Mel B been married? Mel B has been married three times: to Jimmy Gulzar (1998–2000), Stephen Belafonte (2007–2017), and Rory McPhee, whom she married in July 2025.
- Who are Rory McPhee’s children? Rory McPhee does not have any biological children of his own. However, he is the stepfather to Mel B's three children.
- Who are Mel B's children? The British TV personality has three children: Phoenix Chi Gulzar, Angel Iris Murphy Brown and Madison Brown Belafonte.
Mel B and Rory McPhee began as friends before their relationship blossomed into romance. They dated for three years, got engaged in 2022, and married in London on 5 July 2025. McPhee played a key role in helping Mel B heal after her difficult past relationship, restoring both her curls and her faith in love. The couple share three children from Mel B’s previous relationships.
Legit.ng recently published an article about Pete Wentz's dating history. Pete Wentz is an American musician, singer, and songwriter, widely recognised as the bassist and primary lyricist for the rock band Fall Out Boy. Following his 2011 divorce from Ashlee Simpson, the singer has not remarried.
He has, however, been in a long-term relationship with model Meagan Camper since September 2011. The couple share two children, Saint Lazslo and Marvel Jane, and co-parents his son, Bronx Mowgli, with Simpson.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
