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In his new memoir, the Duke of Sussex alleges that he and his brother came to blows after a tense family meeting.
In July 2021,
Prince Harry revealed that he was writing a memoir. Described as “intimate and heartfelt” by his publisher Penguin Random House, the prince promised that the book would be an "accurate and wholly truthful" account of his life, spanning his childhood and coming-of-age as a royal, his military service, his marriage, and his experiences with fatherhood. The announcement came on the heels of an eventful year for the prince—after stepping down from their duties as senior members of the royal family, he and his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, moved to California, where they sat for an explosive televised interview with Oprah Winfrey, speaking candidly about facing racism, insensitivity, and a lack of mental healthcare within Buckingham Palace. Ever since the memoir was announced, royal watchers have eagerly awaited its release, hopeful that it might reveal more bombshells from inside the House of Windsor.
Now, after a long wait and much speculation, the memoir is finally coming into clearer view. Titled Spare (a reference to the oft-used description of royal siblings as “an heir and a spare”), it will hit shelves on January 10, 2023, with the proceeds set to be donated to two charities: WellChild, a charity for children with complex medical needs, and Sentebale, another charity Prince Harry co-founded in honor of his late mother, benefitting HIV-positive children and adolescents. Buckingham Palace, for its part, did not respond to news of Spare’s release date. Markus Dohle, former global CEO of Penguin Random House, said that in the memoir, Prince Harry "shares a remarkably moving personal journey from trauma to healing, one that speaks to the power of love and will inspire and encourage millions of people around the world."
But just what will Prince Harry reveal in Spare? That’s the million dollar question. The publisher’s official description offers some clues: “It was one of the most searing images of the twentieth century: two young boys, two princes, walking behind their mother’s coffin as the world watched in sorrow—and horror. As Diana, Princess of Wales, was laid to rest, billions wondered what the princes must be thinking and feeling—and how their lives would play out from that point on. For Harry, this is that story at last.”
Exploring Princess Diana’s untimely death will “resurface a particular agony for [King] Charles,” said Tina Brown, the author of The Palace Papers. “The queen was restabilized after the death of Diana, whereas Charles has continually battled to end those ghosts. The rehabilitation of Camilla’s image has been utterly successful, but she lives in dread of Harry’s book. In some ways, Diana’s ghost still rattles at the gate.” The royal family is reportedly "shaken up" about the book; although they’ve yet to receive a copy, they’re "nervous" about what Spare might reveal.
Now, a copy has leaked, and it seems that Buckingham Palace was right to worry. The Guardian claims to have obtained a copy of Spare, which contains some explosive information. Early on, Harry recounts the story of how his father, now King Charles, said to Princess Diana on the day of Harry’s birth, “Wonderful! Now you’ve given me an heir and a spare. My work is done.”
The Guardian also details an episode in which Prince Harry alleges that he and Prince William once came to blows as their relationship fell apart over the Duke of Sussex’s marriage. Describing a confrontation at his London home in 2019, Harry writes that William called his wife "difficult," "rude," and "abrasive." Harry told his brother that he was repeating the press narrative about Duchess Meghan, and that he expected better. The confrontation escalated until William “grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog’s bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out.” According to Harry, William said, "You don’t need to tell Meg about this." Harry didn’t, but when the Duchess noticed "visible scrapes and bruises" on his back, he came clean. "She wasn’t that surprised, and wasn’t all that angry," the prince writes. “She was terribly sad.”
According to royal insiders interviewed by Us Weekly (translation: take it with a grain of salt), the writing process has opened old wounds for Prince Harry, just as the book’s publication might for King Charles. "It’s been a very rough process, and very difficult for him to recount certain traumatic events from his childhood," the source said. "At the same time, he’s found it cathartic, and at this stage there are no regrets.” Working alongside a ghostwriter, "Harry has been working hard to strike a balance that will hopefully minimize the fallout caused by this book," the insider said, while also trying to "stay true to his principles” and keep his publishers "happy at the same time." Easy task, right?
Spare arrives at a precarious moment for the British monarchy. As the nation adjusts to King Charles III on the throne, some Brits have renewed their calls to abolish the monarchy altogether, defiantly chanting, "Not my king!" If Spare reveals explosive or unflattering information, it could damage an institution already flagging in public esteem. Valentine Low, the author of Courtiers: Intrigue, Ambition and the Power Players Behind the House of Windsor, told The New York Times, "Don’t forget, the British royal family is there by consent. They need to earn and keep the respect of the British public. If that is ever damaged in a fundamental and permanent way, that could be very serious."
Can the British monarchy survive all 416 pages of Spare? Only time will tell. Stick with us in January, when we’ll be covering the book in all its juicy details.
Adrienne Westenfeld is the Books and Fiction Editor at Esquire, where she oversees books coverage, edits fiction, and curates the Esquire Book Club.
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