For a royal not particularly known for refined literary writing, Prince Harry's "Spare" lived up to expectations, soaring to international fame by selling over three million copies worldwide in its first week of release, including 1.4 million copies in the first 24 hours alone. Penguin Random House proudly called it Britain's best-selling non-fiction book, a testament to an insatiable appetite for royal dramas.
Prince Harry's revelations about his family and personal life have reportedly propelled him into the league of global influencers. However, the question that hovers over the surface is: at what cost?
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It should be noted that among the revelations, there were also to whom and under what circumstances he lost his virginity; the fight with William "because of Meghan" which William called "difficult", "rude" and "abrasive"; the Nazi soldier costume he wore to a costume party with William and Kate's knowledge; his father Charles' efforts to popularize Camilla, now his wife and queen; the cold shoulder from his father after the death of his mother Princess Diana ("He didn't hug me"; The "penis problem" he had at William and Kate's wedding after participating in the Arctic expedition and how he tried to treat it himself with a cream that his mother particularly liked, but turned out to be effective for the specific problem he had, and more.
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Despite extensive editing to moderate its content, "Spare" managed to drive a wedge of epic proportions between Prince Harry and his family. 12 months later, the abyss shows no signs of narrowing, and the damage appears as extensive as ever. The title of the book (Spare = Replacement, Reserve) is an allusion to Harry's status as the king's second son, which is an alternative to the heir to the throne if he is unable to inherit the throne for any reason. As Spare, Harry argues, he has always been treated as less valuable. Among other things, the hot dog he got for dinner was always smaller than William's, he claims in the book.
The launch of the book, initially received with eager anticipation, suffered an unexpected setback when the Spanish version was released to the world prematurely. However, the success of the book was not affected, and it seems that the unintended publication only fanned the flames. While Prince Harry has provided intimate details about his life from the tragedy of Princess Diana's death to Queen Elizabeth's passing in 2022, the relentless attacks on other royals have taken center stage. From casting his brother as an "arch-enemy" to portraying King Charles as a failed father, no member of the royal family came out unscathed.
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Conspicuous by their absence in the book of versions on the part of members of the royal family, leaving readers with only one perspective on these damning revelations.
Despite the royal family's traditional "never complain, never explain" attitude, their silence spoke volumes. The late Queen Elizabeth, had she lived, was "devastated" according to an insider, and Prince Charles was reportedly tortured by his son's infidelity.
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Intriguingly, reports surfaced that Prince Harry had second thoughts about publishing "Spare" during the Queen's 70th anniversary celebrations, seemingly under pressure from royals who warned of "no turning back" if the memoir was published while the Queen was alive. His decision after her death to publish the book only added to the family's grief, and even to its plummeting popularity in Britain.
While the royal family did their best to keep their composure, Prince William and Kate Middleton appeared in coordinated costumes to open Liverpool's Royal University Hospital, broadcasting a united front. Meanwhile, Prince Harry, in a series of interviews, continued to air sourness, complaining a lot about his privileged life and even labeling Camilla as "mean" and "dangerous", seemingly ignoring his father's feelings.
The saga continues, with Prince Harry leaving us with questions, most notably whether he regrets choosing to leave the UK and the royal family, and will these royal wounds ever heal?
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