Geri Halliwell-Horner made a very bold statement last week when she referred to herself in a video for a Dior fashion campaign as “Geri Halliwell”.
The Spice Girl had double-barrelled her maiden name when she married F1 boss Christian Horner back in 2015. But following the recent scandals around their marriage, sources now tell Closer this is Geri’s way of claiming her identity back and removing herself from the drama.
“Geri has opened her eyes to just how unprepared she’d be if her marriage were to break down. She’s decided she needs to get her ‘pre-Horner’ identity back and separate herself from being Christian’s wife in the public eye,” our insider reveals. “She’s ensuring that she’s always got her identity as the star she was before their marriage, if things ever do go wrong.”
The very public dismissal of the Horner name from Geri comes just months after her husband was embroiled in an “inappropriate behaviour” scandal at work.
In the Dior campaign video – which was shared with the brand’s 46.1 million followers – the Wannabe superstar, 51, says, “C’est moi Geri, Geri Halliwell”, which translates to, “It’s me, Geri, Geri Halliwell”.
In February, Christian, 50, was investigated following claims of “inappropriate, controlling behaviour” towards a female colleague. After vehemently disputing the allegations, he was formally cleared of wrongdoing following an internal investigation conducted by Red Bull. But just a day later, a string of sexual messages and photos allegedly exchanged by Christian and his accuser were leaked to F1 officials.
“If this has taught Geri anything, it’s that her life can be turned upside down in the blink of an eye, so she needs to protect herself and ensure that she’s smart and keeps a strong, level head,” our source continues.
“She loves Christian deeply and hopes they will go the distance, but at least she’ll be better prepared if the worst happens and her fairy tale comes to an end.”
