The family friend who has ALWAYS been waiting in the wings for his shot with Mel B: How hairdresser Rory McPhee had been smitten with star for two decades and finally got his chance to become Mr Brown as it's revealed how he wooed Scary Spice
The singer, 50, is set to exchange vows with the hairdresser, 37, at St Paul's Cathedral in London, three years after first announcing her engagement.
While Mel has previously been known for her high-profile exes, Rory is a far cry from the Hollywood heavyweights and music stars she's dated in the past.
Instead, Rory has been a patient man, having been a friend of the family for over two decades, before finally getting his chance to woo Scary Spice.
Before their engagement, Mel revealed that Rory was a longtime friend of her cousin, actor Christian Cooke, and they met while they were at school together in the 1990s.
She has also shared that even before she and Rory began dating, he was a 'favourite' of her late father Martin, admitting last year he'd be 'so happy' to know that they are set to marry.
An insider also previously described Mel's fiance as 'normal, down-to-earth guy, with good morals', telling the Mail that he isn't interested in fame.
Rory finally got his chance to pursue a connection with Mel following her split from husband Stephen Belafonte in 2017.
The star has openly shared how she's had to 'rebuild her trust' in men after her second marriage, having accused Stephen of emotional and physical abuse, which he denies.
Speaking on Elizabeth Day's How To Fail podcast last year, Mel said: 'He was my cousin's best friend so he was already part of my family, which meant there was already that foundation of trust, and safety, which when you leave an abusive relationship, you don't trust anyone, you don't even trust yourself, you don't even trust your own opinions, that can take years to build back up.'
During an appearance on the TODAY show, Mel revealed that Rory's moves to win her heart were unconventional to say the least, as he was tasked with fixing her 'fried' curls after a botched hair treatment.
She said: 'It was short and fried. So when I went back to England, [McPhee] would come over and give me hair treatments and get my natural curls back.
'And as he was nurturing my curls back, I guess he was nurturing my trust and belief in a relationship.'
While the couple first began dating in 2018, it's thought Mel and Rory's relationship became more serious when she returned to the UK in 2019, following the Spice Girls' reunion tour.
Describing himself as a 'hair-cutting and curly specialist,' Rory is the co-founder of multiple salons including RJ Men's, Rory James, and LAB.
He's also an ambassador for the hair brand Redken as well as Lee Stafford Education, a not-for-profit hairdressing course that's partnered with colleges in the UK.
While he only boasts 8,000 followers, he has previously shared sweet clips and snaps with Mel documenting their relationship, including a sweet birthday tribute to her back in May.
Posting a video with Mel during a romantic trip to Paris, he penned the caption: '50 my love never looked finer. Sooo many exciting things this year but today is all about you! Happy birthday. I love you soooo much.'
Mel first revealed her relationship with Rory back in 2019, telling Piers Morgan that she was learning to 'feel safe' again with her new partner, but refused to name him at the time.
Admitting that at the time she was 'in lust,' she added: 'I don't think that person should even be talked about.
'For me it's nice cos when I left my ex I couldn't even be touched, I was terrified and paranoid and I'd wake up with nightmares and in hot sweats.
'So for me to feel safe with somebody, let me just feel safe for a little bit and I'll tell you when I'm comfortable to talk about it.'
In a previous interview with Red Magazine, Mel credited Rory for helping her to discover 'honest, true love.'
She said: 'Rory's given me the ability to understand what honest, true love looks like and what trust looks like with boundaries.
'It's very nurturing and very giving. We understand each other. I never thought I'd know how to love again.'
Given he was a 'favourite' of her late father, it's no surprise that Rory also took him into consideration when planning to propose to Mel.
Mel has openly discussed her close relationship with her father, and her vow to leave her marriage to Stephen was their last conversation before his death in 2017.
Speaking on TODAY last year, Mel revealed that Rory made a touching gesture to ensure Martin was included in his proposal.
She said: 'He knew my dad before he passed, he went to my dad's grave, so he told me afterwards, and asked for my hand in marriage. I mean, not that my dad could say anything … but it was so lovely.'
'And he kept this ring - he designed it himself - for three months in his sock drawer. It's beautiful.'
Rory popped the question to Mel with a £100,000 diamond ring at luxury country hotel Cliveden House in Berkshire.
According to The Sun, Mel B was 'overwhelmed' when Leeds-born hairdresser Rory got down on one knee, and burst out crying with tears of joy.
The publication is reporting that he then held out a £100,000 ring consisting of a pear-shaped, champagne-coloured diamond set on a rose gold band.
One insider told the outlet that Mel said ''yes'' immediately, adding: 'But it was incredibly emotional because after everything she has been through, it was a really big moment for her.'
This will be the third wedding for Mel, who is 50 and a mother of three, Phoenix, 26, Angel, 18, and Madison, 13.
And it has now been revealed the bride is going all out for a perfectly traditional, perfectly English white wedding, with a thoroughly conventional dress – not designed by Victoria Beckham, even though Mel herself said that was happening last year.
Sources told The Mail's Alison Boshoff that she will wear British designer Josephine Scott for the service on Saturday, July 5, in the crypt at the church where Prince Charles married Diana Spencer in 1981.
It can be revealed that there will be a further celebration with friends and family – and another wedding ceremony – at a hotel in Morocco later in July. Mel will wear a flashier gown, from US wedding designer Justin Alexander, for that one.
The star told Women's Wear Daily in May: 'This will be a very formal, English wedding where I want to feel regal and very proper. All the ladies will wear hats or fascinators.
Another source told how Mel 'is so happy' with the engagement, adding: 'It has taken a huge amount for a man to get her to trust him and to believe in love again.
'He's the absolute opposite of so many of the guys she had relationships with,' explaining how he has shown her that men can be 'caring, trustworthy and reliable.
'He has really taken the time to understand what she's been through. He is madly in love with her.'
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