THE Spice Girls pop group smothered a blushing Prince of Wales in kisses yesterday and told him he was "very sexy".
He was given smacking kisses by the girls when he met them at the start of a 21st anniversary Royal Gala for his Prince's Trust.
Geri Halliwell - Ginger Spice - planted a kiss on his cheek, leaving it covered in lipstick, and told him: "You know, I think you are very sexy." Then she told him: "We could spice up your life."
The prince laughed and joked his way through the encounter with the "girl power" outfit at the Opera House in Manchester.
As they queued to meet him in an official line-up while 200 of their fans chanted outside, the five giggled nervously and discussed whether they should curtsey. When the prince arrived, he revealed immediately he knew all five of their nicknames.
But he declined an invitation from Posh Spice - 24-year-old Victoria Adams - to have his tongue pierced like fellow Spice Girl Mel B.
She was the second to meet him in the line-up and the first to give him a kiss on the cheek, telling him: "You have got lipstick all over you now.
When Spice Girl Geri kissed him, before affectionately patting his bottom, the prince, joked: "I have even more now."
He then thanked them for taking part in a star-studded line-up at the gala, telling them: "You are extremely good to do this."
The gala performance was hosted by Sir David Frost and Joanna Lumley in front of an audience paying £175 a ticket.
After meeting the prince, the Spice Girls delighted the packed audience at the Opera House with their first British live performance.
Despite criticisms after their only previous live appearance - in the United States - they showed no signs of nervousness as they bounced through the set of three of their No 1 hits.