Melanie's Claddagh Ring...

According to Irish tradition:

                              The Claddagh Ring

                  The perfect gift for a friend or loved one


The ring, depicting two hands clutching a heart, complete with a crown,
epitomises the expression of lasting love and eternal friendship. The heart
symbolises love, the hands friendship and the crown loyalty or fidelity.

Wear this ring on your right hand with the heart facing outwards and the world
will know your heart has not yet been won. Wear it on the right hand with the
heart facing inwards and it shows you have friendship and love under
consideration. But worn on your left hand with the heart turned inwards it
means two loves have joined forever.

Well, it's on her right hand, and the heart is facing outwards... So, is this another indication, in addition to all the verbal denials, that she doesn't have a boyfriend. Or is it simply an indication that she doesn't know about the traditions of the ring, and thought it looked nicer that way round...
Something suggests to me that she's very much aware of the symbolism of the ring, and knows perfectly well what it means to be wearing it that way around. At least, I hope she does...

Miami Spice

Whilst being interviewed on the "Miami Spice" programme, there was one brief moment where the rings on her right hand were visible.

Although it's not that clear, the ring does still appear to be in the same orientation as it was in the programme photo above. Quite how this ties in with the comments she made during the interview about her relationship status is unclear - if she does know about Claddagh tradition, then it suggests her pursuit of whoever it is hasn't got very far. On the other hand, maybe she doesn't know about the traditions, even though I'd find that hard to believe.
Time to keep a close eye on the ring, just to see if it changes orientation in the near future...

Late summer...

During a recent TV interview, which also included the "I haven't got a boyfriend... Liar!" comments (see the audio collection), her right hand was again briefly visible...

Still looks to be in the same heart-outwards orientation as it's always been. So, does this mean she was telling the truth, and the others were just joking about her having a boyfriend. Or, were they right, and is she trying to keep it all quiet, even down to keeping the ring this way round and breaking with the strict tradition of the ring...

Winter 1998

From the December 1998 Cosmopolitan article (see the Picture Gallery and MediaWatch):

Still heart-outward, which does fit with the comments she made in the article about being young, free and single... Sooo, maybe she is obeying the tradition after all.

(24th December 1998)

From her appearance on the Frank Skinner Show:

Which fits in with her comments during the interview about still being single... More evidence that she is obeying the tradition, or just coincidence again? Who knows - apart from her, of course :-)