SOUTH AFRICA: PRINCE CHARLES MEETS MANDELA AND THE SPICE GIRLS - 1997

Описание: (1 Nov 1997) English/Nat

Britain's Prince Charles, President Mandela and the Spice Girls shared a stage for the first and probably only time on Saturday.

The British heir to the throne, the South African president and the world-famous teen pop band met at Mandela's South African residence in Pretoria.

Reporters at the photo opportunity seemed unclear where to hurl their questions at the mega famous group arrayed before them.

It had all the trappings of a serious official state visit.

Prince Charles drew up at President Mandela's lavish state home in a cavalcade, flying the Royal Standard.

He was greeted by a beaming South African president - dressed in one of his trade mark batik shirts.

After a short conversation in the house, the two men were treated to the usual pomp and ceremony.

Charles inspected a South African Air Force honour guard beneath the British and South African flags.

But then tradition was dispensed with as teen pop culture squeezed onto the stage with President Mandela and Prince Charles -- in the form of the ubiquitous Spice Girls.

The singers, wearing trademark platform heels, did what they do best: flirting for the cameras and cracking jokes.

But even the Spice Girls seemed genuinely in awe of the company.

President Mandela, for his part, did not look put out by the adoration.

He rose above the chaotic photo pose to comment on Prince Charles's visit - the last stop in his three-nation tour of southern Africa.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"His visit here I have no doubt is not only in the interest of South Africa as well as Britain. We are very excited about it."
SUPER CAPTION: Nelson Mandela, South African President

But he soon got overwhelmed by the Spice Girls saucy banter.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
President Mandela: "Well."
The Spice Girls: "Watch it, you stood next to me."
President Mandela: "Well, these are my heroines."
The Spice Girls: "And he is our hero as well."
President Mandela: "I don't want to be emotional but this is one of the greatest moments of my life."
SUPER CAPTION: Nelson Mandela and the Spice Girls

Prince Charles, too, entered into the spirit of the occasion.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"And it is the second greatest moment in my life.. the first was when I met them the first time.."
SUPER CAPTION: His Royal Highness Prince Charles

Prince Charles is on his first official trip since the death of Princess Diana in a car accident in August.

The photo call was not altogether out of character with this trip, during which Charles has tried to display a looser, more human image by cracking jokes with journalists and shaking hands with onlookers.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
The Spice Girls: "And the Spice Girls can't believe they're meeting two very important people." "I think there's a classic speech that Nelson Mandela did and I can't remember exactly but you mentioned about never suppress yourself, never make yourself feel small for others insecurities and that's what Girl Power's all about so I think we're on the same level on that view."
President Mandela: "Well you must realise of course that they are talking about an old man".
The Spice Girls: "Hey, it's how you feel inside. You're not old."
SUPER CAPTION: President Mandela and The Spice Girls

In talking about the importance of self-image, Geri Halliwell - otherwise known as Ginger Spice - was apparently referring to Mandela's support for women's rights in his autobiography "Long Walk to Freedom".

Charles and his younger son Harry, 13, will attend the Spice Girls Two Nation charity concert at a Johannesburg sports stadium on Saturday night.


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