Prince Harry's Memoir: From Clever Title To Authentic Admissions
There's been no shortage of drama within the royal family over the past couple of years, and now me is about to drop what might be a giant bombshell in the form of a memoir. Titled "Spare," which refers to the royal phrase "the heir and the spare" that's commonly employed to refer to royal siblings, the book is set to include a full account of Harry's life, and readers can expect "raw, unflinching honesty" as well as "insight, revelation, self-examination, and hard-won wisdom about the eternal power of love over grief," AP News reports. The book's publisher, Penguin Random House, said in a statement that they are proud to be publishing the memoir and that Harry's story will "inspire and encourage millions of people around the world."
According to People, the book was first announced by Penguin Random House publishing in July 2021. Harry revealed in a statement that he hopes the memoir will show people that "no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think," adding, "I'm deeply grateful for the opportunity to share what I've learned over the course of my life so far and excited for people to read a firsthand account of my life that's accurate and wholly truthful."
For now, no one but Harry and his team knows exactly what secrets lie within the memoir's pages. If you're as curious as us, read on for everything we do know about the book so far.
Royal experts say Princess Diana would have approved of Prince Harry's book
While the royal family might raise an eyebrow or two over Prince Harry's upcoming memoir, royal experts say that his mother would have been wholly supportive of the book, citing her willingness to speak openly in interviews with Marin Bashir and Andrew Morton as evidence.
"Diana was gleeful about the statements that she made during those interviews," royal expert Stewart Pearce told Us Weekly, adding, "Sometimes I would say, 'Are you really going to engage yourself in that?' ... And she'd say, 'Yeah, I've got to!' and would do it." Pearce says that Harry takes after his mother in that sense, explaining that he tends to act on his instincts, which Diana was famous for doing. This does not, however, mean that he didn't think twice before putting some things in the book. Pearce says that he's doubtful that Harry's memoir will take a jab at any royal family members. "There won't be anything in terms of accusation, not at all," Pearce told the outlet, adding that Harry is in a place in his life where he's experiencing a transformation, and that likely doesn't include bashing his entire family. Pearce did not, however, deny that some of the royal family members were probably nervous about what the book might reveal.
The royal family was kept in the dark about Harry's memoir
Prince Harry is not a working member of the royal family, so when it was revealed that the royals reportedly weren't aware of his plans to publish a memoir, not everyone was surprised. The Daily Mail reported that Harry's family was blissfully unaware of the book until right before it was made public by a U.S. newspaper. "Harry scrambled to contact his family only when he knew the story was coming out — just moments before it became public," a source told The Sun. King Charles III was reportedly very surprised by the news. However, a spokesperson for Harry said that it wasn't as much of a scramble as media outlets suggest and that Harry informed the family and Queen Elizabeth II about the book beforehand.
A spokesperson told People that Harry did not need Buckingham Palace's permission to tackle the project in the first place but that he told the family about the memoir in private regardless. The Sun reported that Harry had been working on the book for over a year before the family found out, citing a royal source who reportedly revealed that he'd only told his family "very recently." The royal family apparently didn't know about the book from the get-go, but they sure do know about it now.
Prince Harry hasn't given his family an advanced copy of the book
While the announcement of Prince Harry's memoir caused quite a stir among the public and the royal family alike, many were surprised to learn that Harry's family wouldn't be getting an advanced copy of the book.
The Telegraph reported that the royal family will be reading the memoir for the first time along with the rest of the world when it's finally released, adding that neither King Charles III nor Harry's brother William, the Prince of Wales, has any idea about what the book's contents entail. Inside sources close to the king have revealed that he had hoped Harry would send his team a copy of the book ahead of its release, but it turns out that the monarch would probably have asked someone else to read it since the source also revealed that the book is "unlikely to be on [the king's] reading list." Ouch.
The Telegraph reports that many have been surprised that Penguin Random House Publishing has been willing to publish what appears to be a very controversial book. But royal aides have said that the publisher is likely banking on the fact that the royals would never go as far as to sue one of their own family members. Others in royal circles reportedly speculate that all the hype is much ado about nothing and that the book doesn't contain any of the bombshells people expect.
The book has King Charles III and the Queen Consort concerned
Prince Harry is known for being a rebel, so it's understandable that some members of the royal family nervous about what he might reveal about them in his memoir.
Speaking to The Daily Beast (via Newsweek), Tina Brown, who authored "The Diana Chronicles," said that Camilla Parker-Bowles, Queen Consort, "lives in dread" of the book even though the palace has managed to transform her public image from King Charles III's mistress to a respected member of the royal family. "In some ways, Diana's ghost still rattles at the gate," Brown says. In an article royal reporter and former friend of Princess Diana, Richard Kay wrote for the Daily Mail, he revealed that a friend of the family said that Harry had a get-together with some of his mother's friends a couple of years ago, and after speaking to some of them, the prince's eyes were opened to the way Diana was treated by the media and the royal family alike — and he was not impressed.
Brown says the memoir might also bring up some painful memories for the king, "The queen was re-stabilized after the death of Diana, whereas Charles has continually battled to end those ghosts," Brown says. A source told Us Weekly that King Charles and Prince William are both "particularly concerned about what Harry will reveal," adding that Harry's recent criticisms of the royal family aren't doing anything to calm their nerves.
Prince William and Princess Catherine are also nervous about the memoir
Prince Harry and Prince William have been at odds with each other for several years, so, understandably, the Prince of Wales is nervous about what his brother might reveal in his memoir.
Royal expert Ingrid Seward told GB News (via Express) that Prince William has the most to lose if Prince Harry's book is the bombshell everyone expects it to be. "William is probably the one that will come out of this worst of all because there is a row between William and Harry, and if Harry says things that are inappropriate about the monarchy, that is William's future," Seward said, adding that, since Harry has stepped away from the family, he has nothing to lose, unlike his brother.
The Sun has also reported that William and Catherine are keeping their distance from Harry and Meghan because they feel they can't trust them not to repeat their conversations in the memoir. A source told Us Weekly that William "can't get his head around why Harry keeps throwing his family under the bus," adding that the prince feels that Harry should discuss the issues he has with the family in private instead of publishing it for the whole world to read. "I think it's likely that Catherine and William will try to avoid any contact with Harry and Meghan until they know the contents of Harry's memoirs and their Netflix documentary," royal biographer Angela Levin told The Sun.
King Charles has reportedly threatened to cut ties with Prince Harry over the book
While it appears that many members of the royal family are concerned about Prince Harry's memoir, King Charles, in particular, is reportedly worried about how some of the things Harry might reveal could impact his reign, with inside sources saying that the king is attempting to "bury some secrets forever."
"Charles has gone into severe crisis-management mode," insiders told Radar Online. "He knows that Harry holds the key to a closet full of dark secrets. It goes way deeper than simply Harry calling Charles on TV a bad father." Apparently, the king has gone as far as to give Harry an ultimatum: He either backs out of his $20 million contract with his publisher or faces the consequences. The insider revealed that Harry was told that all trust within the royal family will be shattered once the book is published, and the king warned him that ratting out any family member in his memoir will lead to complete banishment. "Harry's whole family will be stripped of their titles. And he'll be cut off from royal life for good!" an insider claimed.
Harry has shown a willingness to speak openly about the royal family. When he and Meghan appeared on Oprah Winfrey's show in 2021, they didn't hold back on their experience as working royals (via CNN), and if the memoir is anything like that interview, the royals likely have reason to be worried.
Former royal staff members are concerned about the memoir's accuracy
Since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's dramatic exit from the royal family, rumors have been swirling about what happened behind the palace walls before they moved to the United States. From reports that Meghan had bullied staff members to whispers that the couple had planned to commercialize their royal experience, it's hard to know what to believe. Now, inside sources told the Daily Mail that Meghan and Harry's former staff members are concerned about the accuracy of Harry's upcoming memoir.
"Harry and Meghan's former staff members are convinced that this book is being written to settle scores and will likely include a lot of detail about their time within the royal family," a royal insider revealed, adding that former staffers are concerned that the story told within the memoir might not be an accurate account of events. "Conversations have already started about what steps they might be able to take to protect their reputation and that of the monarchy post-publication," the source revealed, adding that some staff members know secrets that could "blow up much of the victim narrative so carefully crafted by those two." Apparently, former staff members are hopeful that the memoir will allow them to speak out about what they believe is the truth without facing any legal consequences.
The memoir has some of Prince Harry's friends worried
According to the Daily Mail, some of Harry's old pals from Eton and the Army have warned the prince not to drop any bombshells about them in his upcoming book. They reportedly told him they won't hesitate to return the favor should he put them in a bad light. A source told the Daily Mail that some of Harry's old friends tried to contact him regarding the book but that their "friendly emails have gone unanswered, which hasn't instilled much confidence."
Some of Harry's friends reportedly feel he'd be doing them very dirty if he chose to include any embarrassing detail about them in the book since he previously cut ties with friends who talked about him to the press. "There is a fear that he's going to reveal details of his hedonistic youth, which some worry will play havoc with their careers and personal lives," a friend told the Daily Mail. Another source added that Harry's former school friends, as well as those he served with in the military, have vowed that they will "break ranks" to set the record straight if the book paints them in a bad light.
The memoir might drop some bombshells that will leave some people seething, or it might simply include a breezy account of Harry's time at school and the military with no shocking revelations. Only time will tell.
The royal family reportedly has lawyers on standby to read the memoir
It appears the royal family is taking the possibility that Prince Harry's memoir might include damaging information very seriously. According to the Daily Mail, palace aides have even tried to stop the book's publication altogether.
"The question inside the Palace is: 'Can the book be stopped?'" a friend of the king reportedly told the Daily Mail, adding, "It may be that even Harry can't stop it at this stage, but the feeling at the very top is that there's no good that can come of airing grievances in public." It may also be that Harry has no intention of stopping it anyway and feels putting his story out there is worth the potential backlash from the family. Per the Daily Mail, chances are slim that King Charles would take legal action against Harry, despite what the book might contain, and the prince is probably aware of this.
Regardless, the Daily Mail reports that the royal family has lawyers on standby to read Harry's memoir as soon as it is released. What happens from there, we can only guess.
Prince Harry reportedly made some edits to the memoir after the queen's death
While Queen Elizabeth II's death shocked the world, it must have shaken up the royal family even more, and rumors have been swirling that Prince Harry is rethinking some of the things he said in his memoir and is trying to "tone" it down.
While speaking to GB News (via Express), royal expert Kinsey Schofield revealed that Prince Harry is reportedly quite nervous about releasing the memoir because he is concerned that some of the contents might appear insensitive now that the queen has passed away. His father, King Charles III, also just started his reign, so it's a pretty sensitive and critical time for the royal family. "We're being told that he is hustling, trying to get some items removed, trying to work around some of the stories he's told in his book," Schofield says, adding that she initially thought the prince might decide to scrap the project altogether.
According to The New York Times, book industry executives revealed that Harry has already considered pulling out of the publishing deal a couple of times and that the prince's nerves around the project are one of the reasons it's been delayed. The New York Times also notes that any unflattering remarks the book might contain about the royal family could be seen very differently by the public now that the queen has passed away.
Readers can expect an extra chapter covering the queen's death
While many speculate that Prince Harry is scrambling to make edits to his book to prevent it from coming across as insensitive after Queen Elizabeth II's death (via The Sun), he might simply be busy working on the chapter he is reportedly adding about the queen's death.
Diary Editor for the Daily Mail, Richard Eden, told Palace Confidential (via Express) that he has it on good authority that Harry is busy adding a chapter about the queen's funeral to his memoir. "Jeffrey Archer, well-connected in the published world, is saying that Harry is writing a new chapter completely," Eden said, adding, "From what he was saying, it will be dealt with by a new chapter that will be on the queen's funeral and the events surrounding it."
Eden says that Harry likely sees this additional chapter as an opportunity to set the record straight about how he dealt with the fact that he was not allowed to wear the traditional royal regalia at the queen's funeral. Many speculated that the prince was offended, and the memoir gives Harry a chance to say what was really going through his head that day. We suspect that the loss of his grandmother affected his mood far more than the clothes he was allowed to wear, but only that final chapter will provide true answers.
The memoir's release date has been pushed back
The world has been waiting with bated breath for November 2022, the month in which Prince Harry's controversial book was initially supposed to be released, but fans will have to wait for a little longer (via The Cut).
According to The Cut, the book was first announced in July 2021, which meant that the publisher was already operating on a pretty tight schedule. At one point, it appeared that the memoir would hit shelves around Easter 2023. That's one heck of a while to wait for those who were bargaining on a November release. But it seems Harry's been working at breakneck speed to add the additional chapter about Queen Elizabeth II's death and funeral because an official release date has now been announced, and it's much sooner than anticipated.
Harry's publisher, Penguin Random House, took to Twitter to reveal the memoir's official release date, and it appears the royals are in for a bumpy ride in January 2023. "We are excited to announce the remarkably personal and emotionally powerful story of Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex. SPARE, the highly anticipated #PrinceHarryMemoir, will be published on January 10, 2023," the tweet reads. Mark your calendars, folks — we have a nagging suspicion that this memoir will be a page-turner.