It’s been a tough few months for Geri Halliwell and Christian Horner, after the Formula 1 boss found himself in the middle of a high-profile sexting scandal that left his Spice Girl wife reeling. But the couple put on a united front last week, as Geri, 51, stood by Christian’s side at the British Grand Prix.
The couple, who married in 2015, posed with their children at Silverstone in an attempt to show that the scandal – which saw Christian, 50, accused of sending intimate texts to a female employee – is now behind them. But insiders close to the singer-turned-children’s author tell Closer that behind the scenes, things are far from smooth sailing.
The source says, “It took a lot for Geri to muster up the courage to plaster on a smile when she’s been through some of the most painful months of her life, sometimes wanting to retreat and never face the public again.
“For people to question the very thing she prides herself on and became famous for – girl power – and insinuate she should not have stood by him really stung and made all her insecurities resurface.”
In February, Geri’s world was shaken when allegations of “inappropriate behaviour” were made against Christian. He has always denied the claims. The Red Bull racing boss was cleared of wrongdoing following an internal investigation. But rumours of frostiness between them have continued, with Geri last month publicly dropping her married name when she introduced herself as Geri Halliwell in a video campaign for Dior.
Now, Closer has learned that the pair are preparing for a “make or break” trip for Geri’s birthday in August, which she has told friends will be their “biggest test”.
“Geri loves Christian and doesn’t want to throw away nine years of marriage,” the source adds. “Despite being in a bad place, she’s praying this trip will help get them back on track and that they’ll come out the other side even stronger.”