Jenna Bush Hager and Spice Girl Gerri Halliwell-Horner shared a touching moment together during Wednesday’s (Oct. 4) episode of Today that left the talk show host in tears.
Halliwell-Horner gifted Bush Hager and Hoda Kotb a copy of her new young adult novel Rosie Frost & The Falcon Queen, which included a special inscription inside that made Bush Hager emotional.
“‘Dear Jenna, I know how much family literacy means to you, it also means so much to me,'” she read aloud. The message went on to note that a portion of the book’s proceeds will go to the nonprofit organization her grandmother created, the Barbara Bush Foundation For Family Literacy.
Bush Hager started becoming emotional as she continued reading Halliwell-Horner’s message to her. “‘Barbara Bush was, and is still, courageous, empowering, and a true falcon queen in my eyes,'” she read before turning to Halliwell-Horner with tears in her eyes. “Wow! I did not expect this, thank you so much. That was so unexpected and so beautiful.”
They shared an embrace as she thanked her for the unexpected surprise, with Bush Hager telling her, “Thank you, that is so beautiful. I have chills.”
Halliwell-Horner shared that she felt very inspired by Bush Hager’s family when she was growing up.
“Your family and America gave me so much,” she said. “Just watching America with its positive values and your grandmother, who instilled those values in you — she believed in literacy, in empowering others, family reading, and I thought I want to give back what you’ve given me.”
Bush Hager confessed that she felt “so overcome” by Halliwell-Horner’s gesture. “That is so — I don’t even know what to say, that is so sweet,” she said.
Rosie Frost & The Falcon Queen is the former Spice Girl’s first foray into young adult fiction. She’s previously written a children’s series as well as two memoirs, If Only and Just for the Record, that recount her rise to fame as Ginger Spice.
On Today With Hoda & Jenna, the singer expressed that she’s always had a passion for writing and literature, even as a musician.
“I’m no Mariah Carey so my range isn’t so big,” she joked. “But so I felt very confident and loved the writing part.”
Today with Jenna and Hoda airs on weekdays at 10/9c on NBC.