Mel B visit's father's grave to tell him of MBE after promising him she'd quit abusive marriage

Mel B has shared the touching moment she visited the grave of her father to tell him she had been awarded an MBE.

The 46-year-old Spice Girl was among the famous names granted awards from HM The Queen in her New Year Honours list – with Mel being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire.

The chart topping star was granted the honour for her services to charitable causes and for her work campaigning to help vulnerable women and against domestic abuse.

Mel has shared some insight into the abuse she survived herself – having previously discussed her explosive marriage with ex-husband Stephen Belafonte which ended in 2017 after 10 years, while the film-producer himself has always denied he was ever abusive towards the singer.

Mel B has shared the moment she visited her father's grave to tell him of her MBE appointment (PA)

Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, Mel revealed her father had helped give her the strength to walk away from her abusive relationship.

Sharing a black and white photograph of herself at her father’s grave, she wrote: “This was the moment I told my dad about my MBE.

“On his death bed I promised him I would leave my abusive marriage. He gave me that strength.

The singer uploaded the candid moment to her Instagram page (@officialmelb / Instagram)

Mel say her father, Martin Brown, would have been proud of her MBE (Getty Images)

“He would be so proud,I’m overwhelmed honoured and grateful and as patron of @womens_aid I will NEVER stop this fight to #stopabuse.”

She also added a string of further hashtags including: #itsnotyourfault #silencenomore #womensupportwomen #speakup #youarenotalone #reclaimthesestreets #yourlifematters #togetherwearestronger.

Mel’s post was met with a wall of support and praise from fans, followers and fellow celebrities – quickly clocking up tens of thousands of ‘likes’ and positive reactions.

Mel says she promised her father before he died that she would leave her abusive marriage (Getty Images)

Fellow Spice Girl Emma Bunton was among those sending positive messages, writing: “Love you” alongside a red heart emoji.

While singer Alexandra Burke wrote: “Proud of you”, Daisy Lowe commented: “All my love angel”, and supermodel Heidi Klum reacted with a red heart emoji.

Mel’s dad, Martin Brown, passed away in March 2017 at the age of 63 following a battle against myeloma cancer.

The singer walked away from her marriage just two weeks later – making allegations that she had been the victim of emotional and physical abuse at the hands of her then-husband.

She became a patron for domestic violence survivors' charity, Women's Aid, in November 2018 – a year after her divorce was finalised.

Mel previously expressed her shock, surprise and delight at being granted her MBE by The Queen, saying in a statement: “This has taken so long to sink in because it means so much to me.

Mel was married to Stephen Belafonte – and quit the marriage two weeks after Martin passed away (Getty Images)

“To go through such dark times and then to start coming into the light and speaking out for myself and other women has been at times incredibly painful but also unbelievably empowering."

She continued: “I feel I’m accepting this award on behalf of all women who have gone through — or going through — abuse in all its shapes and forms.”

And she added: “I am so grateful not just to be a survivor but to have a platform to keep speaking out as Patron of Women’s Aid.”