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More than 1.4 million copies of the English-language edition of the controversial autobiography »Spare« (German: »Reserve«) were sold on the day of publication.
This was announced by the publisher Penguin Random House on Wednesday (local time) in New York.
No other non-fiction book by the publisher reached such a number on the first day of publication.
On Tuesday, the day of publication, a total of 1.43 million copies were sold in the USA, Canada and Great Britain – including hardcover editions as well as e-books and audio books.
You can read a comment on the revelations about the royals here: Free Willy!
Lots of personal details
The more than 500-page autobiography, which Harry penned with the help of ghostwriter JR Moehringer, includes his perspective on the tensions within the royal family and many personal details.
Among other things, Harry writes that he sniffed cocaine, experienced his first time with an older woman and had a serious falling out with brother William.
Harry has also given several interviews, lashing out at his family and the British media.
Even before the start of sales, explosive details had become known through leaks.
None of this harmed sales – quite the opposite.
Compared to "Spare," sales of other hits from the publisher were downright modest: Barack Obama's "A Promised Land" sold more than 887,000 copies on its first day in the US and Canada, according to Penguin Random House announced.
Michelle Obama's memoir Becoming, also published by Penguin Random House, sold more than 725,000 copies in the US and Canada on the first day, the company said.
Gina Centrello, Publishing President of the Random House Group, described Harry's memoir as heartfelt, courageous and intimate.
"Spare" is the story of someone you thought you already knew.
"But now we can really understand Prince Harry through his own words," Britain's PA news outlet quoted Centrello as saying.
»'Spare' is a book that must be read and we are proud to publish it.«
lmd/dpa
